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Jan. 22, 2013
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Mitch
314-795-6821

Sophomore forward nails buzzer-beater to stun Gonzaga

BUTLER'S JONES IS OSCAR
ROBERTSON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Butler forward Roosevelt Jones as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 20. The USBWA's weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and will be handed out each Tuesday through Feb. 19 this season.

Jones

As the Atlantic 10 Conference Co-Player of the Week, Jones was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week.

Jones, a 6-4 sophomore from O'Fallon, Ill., hit one of the season's most memorable shots to give the Bulldogs a dramatic 64-63 win over No. 8 Gonzaga in front of a national primetime ESPN audience and a packed Hinkle Fieldhouse with "College GameDay" on hand.

With the short-handed Bulldogs trailing by a point, Jones came up with a steal at midcourt, drove toward the basket and hit a floater from 10 feet as the final buzzer sounded. With leading scorer Rotnei Clarke sidelined, Jones led the Bulldogs with 20 points, while adding five rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal in the win, Butler's third over over a Top 10 team this season.

Earlier in the week, Jones recorded his second double-double of the season, helping Butler to a conference win over Richmond. He finished with 10 points, a caeeer-high 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals.

This is the fourth season that the USBWA has selected a national player of the week. The weekly Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week will be considered for the Oscar Robertson Trophy watch list, which will be released at mid-season.

Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy presented by Aflac will be presented by its namesake, Oscar Robertson, at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 15, 2013, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men's Final Four.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, the most comprehensive college basketball publication in the world, returns for its 32nd season, bigger and better in 2012-13. Blue Ribbon – long-known as "The Bible of College Basketball" – gives its readers the most thorough, up-to-date and timely evaluations of every Division I team in the country. For more information about Blue Ribbon Yearbooks, visit blueribbonyearbookonline.com.

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