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ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association
has selected 14 outstanding players as finalists for the 2015
Oscar Robertson Trophy, as selected by the association's board
of directors.
 The
award is to be presented to the national player of the year at the
Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April
14 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 week
after the NCAA Men's Final Four.
Four players from four different Atlantic Coast Conference schools
headline the list along with Gonzaga teammates Kevin Pangos
and Kyle Wiltjer. Two of the selections, Wiltjer
and Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell, have been recognized
as Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week this season. This
past week, Wiltjer won the award for the second time.
Overall, seven conferences are represented and among the finalists
are five seniors, six juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen.
Following is the complete list of finalists:
|
2015 OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY FINALISTS (14) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Player, School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| G |
31 |
Ron Baker,
Wichita State |
6-4 |
220 |
Jr. |
Scott City, Kan. |
| G |
15 |
Malcolm Brogdon,
Virginia |
6-5 |
215 |
Jr. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| F |
15 |
Willie Cauley-Stein,
Kentucky |
7-0 |
240 |
Jr. |
Olathe, Kan. |
| F |
25 |
Rakeem Christmas,
Syracuse |
6-9 |
250 |
Jr. |
Phildelphia, Pa. |
| G |
22 |
Jerian Grant,
Notre Dame |
6-5 |
204 |
Sr. |
Bowie, Md. |
| F |
44 |
Frank Kaminsky,
Wisconsin |
7-0 |
242 |
Sr. |
Lisle, Ill. |
| F |
31 |
Georges Niang,
Iowa State |
6-8 |
230 |
Jr. |
Methuen, Mass. |
|
C |
15 |
Jahlil Okafor, Duke |
6-11 |
270 |
Fr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
| G |
4 |
Kevin Pangos,
Gonzaga |
6-2 |
182 |
Sr. |
Holland Landing, Ont. |
| F |
10 |
Bobby Portis,
Arkansas |
6-11 |
242 |
So. |
Little Rock, Ark. |
| G |
0 |
D'Angelo Russell,
Ohio State |
6-5 |
180 |
Fr. |
Louisville, Ky. |
| F |
10 |
Seth Tuttle,
Northern Iowa |
6-8 |
240 |
Sr. |
Sheffield, Iowa |
| F |
33 |
Kyle Wiltjer,
Gonzaga |
6-10 |
240 |
Jr. |
Portland, Ore. |
| G |
55 |
Delon Wright,
Utah |
6-5 |
190 |
Sr. |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
| By conference:
ACC (4); Big Ten (2); Missouri Valley (2); SEC (2); West
Coast (2); Big 12 (1); Pac-12 (1). |
| By class:
Seniors (5); Juniors (6); Sophomores (1); Freshmen (2). |
While these standout players are the leading contenders to be
named to the USBWA's All-America Team, all Division I players
remain eligible for postseason honors from the USBWA. The association
will announce its 2015 All-America Team in mid-March. Ballots for
this season's USBWA men's honors will be distributed to the entire
membership on Mon., March 2.
Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy
College Basketball Awards are available at
collegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515,
scott.hill@access-sports.net).
The April 14 banquet will also honor Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim
as the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.
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.
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.
Related link:
•
Oscar Robertson Trophy
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