Jan. 29, 2013
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Mitch
314-795-6821
Sophomore guard leads Wildcats to pair of Top 5 upsets
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VILLANOVA'S HILLIARD IS OSCAR
ROBERTSON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Villanova guard Darrun Hilliard as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 27. 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.

Hilliard

As the Big East Conference Player of the Week, Hilliard 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.

Hilliard, a 6-6 sophomore from Bethlehem, Pa., led the Wildcats to wins over a pair of Big East foes ranked among the top five. Last Saturday, he delivered a sensational performance in a 75-71 overtime win over then-No. 3 Syracuse. After scoring 13 of the Wildcats' first 25 points, he finished the day with 25 points and added career highs in rebounds (7) and assists (6) while not committing a turnover.

Last Tuesday, he was among five players in double figures as Villanova upset then-No. 5 Louisville, 73-64. Hilliard scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds to average 18.0 points per game and 5.5 rebounds for the week.

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.

Oscar Robertson TrophyAt 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.

2012-13 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
Week of Dec. 9: Brandon Paul, Illinois (Big Ten Conference)
Week of Dec. 16: Doug McDermott, Creighton (Missouri Valley Conference)
Week of Dec. 23: Victor Rudd, South Florida (Big East Conference)
Week of Dec. 30: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA (Pac-12 Conference)
Week of Jan. 6: Trey Burke, Michigan (Big Ten Conference)
Week of Jan. 13: Elston Turner, Texas A&M (Southeastern Conference)
Week of Jan. 20: Roosevelt Jones, Butler (Atlantic 10 Conference)
Week of Jan. 27: Darrun Hilliard, Villanova (Big East Conference)
Week of Feb. 3: Shane Larkin, Miami (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Week of Feb. 10: Mason Plumlee, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Week of Feb. 17: Michael Lyons, Air Force (Mountain West Conference)