AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State Men’s Basketball duo of Monté Morris and Georges Niang have earned spots on a pair of preseason award watch lists, announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Morris, a junior from Flint, Michigan, is on the Bob Cousy Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top point guard. Morris was a finalist for the award last season after finishing second on the team with 11.9 points and leading the Big 12 with 5.2 assists and a nation-best 4.63 assist-to-turnover ratio. Along with Jameel McKay, Morris also was named preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention.

Niang has been listed on the Karl Malone Award watch list, an award given to the nation’s best power forward. He was a finalist for the honor last season while averaging 15.3 points and earning All-America accolades. Niang has also been named to the preseason All-Big 12 team. The Methuen, Massachusetts, native, returns for his senior season fifth among active NCAA Division I players in scoring (1,510) and the only player with 1,500 points, 450 rebounds and 300 assists.

The Cyclones open the regular season on Nov. 13 against Colorado in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.