ATLANTA, Ga. - Missouri State senior guard Casey Garrison has been named to the prestigious 2011-12 Naismith preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced yesterday. Garrison, the preseason choice to win Missouri Valley Conference player of the year honors, was the lone MVC player chosen for the 50-player list for the second consecutive season.

Garrison is on 11 different career top-10 lists in the MSU record books, including second in scoring average (18.1), fifth in points (1,864), sixth in assists (414) and 10th in rebounds (663).

The Bolivar native is bidding to become sixth player in league history to earn first-team all-conference honors four times, and the fifth to win multiple player of the year awards.

In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the top 30 players in the nation. Then in March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.

For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.