ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – Rice guard Marcus Evans is the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week for games ending the week of Feb. 21. Evans was selected by CBSSports.com's Matt Norlander, in partnership with the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Norlander's popular weekly freshman watch column will continue to feature nation's the top freshmen each week in addition to the national player of the week. Later in the season, the USBWA will release a midseason watch list before naming finalists for the award. This season marks the first time a weekly national freshman of the week will be selected and, each Tuesday through Feb. 23, a standout first-year player will be chosen for the honor.

Norlander writes of the Chesapeake, Va., product: "Evans is on his way to a waltz for C-USA Freshman of the Year, and if the Owls were above .500 in the league (6-8, and 11-16 overall), he'd have a realistic shot at Player of the Year. Evans has won Conference USA's Freshman of the Week honor four straight weeks – and eight times this season. ... He's averaging 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 steals. He's only one of three players in the nation (joining Oakland's Kay Felder and Fresno State's Marvelle Harris) to average as many as 20 points, four boards, three dimes and two swipes.

What a start to his career. Evans averaged 29.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.0 assists in helping the Owls beat Florida Atlantic and FIU last week. He was 62 percent from the field and went 12 of 13 at the foul line. He had six steals in the FIU game."

The Integris Wayman Tisdale Award is to be presented to the national freshman of the year at the College Basketball Awards on April 11, 2016, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually following the NCAA Men's Final Four.

The USBWA has chosen a national freshman of the year since the 1988-89 season when LSU's Chris Jackson was the recipient. Last season, Duke's Jabari Parker became the fourth winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award. Other notable previous winners of the national freshman of the year award include Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.

The Tisdale Award winner will receive a statuette designed by nationally-recognized sculptor Shan Gray.

The late Wayman Tisdale was a three-time USBWA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. Following a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, he played 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1997 to focus on a blossoming jazz music career. In March 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer and, following a courageous and difficult battle that included the amputation of his right leg in 2008, he passed away in May 2009.

The Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award is produced by Access Sports, an Oklahoma City-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit foundation responsible for creating the Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award. Access Sports produces all events associated with the award, including the annual awards dinner. Proceeds from the activities affiliated with the award are used to support various worthy charitable causes, including providing opportunities for disadvantaged youth to participate in basketball leagues, clinics, and training throughout the state. In addition, Access Sports supports the Wayman L. Tisdale Foundation which helps fund prosthetics for those who cannot afford the cost on their own and may not be covered by insurance.

Tickets and sponsorship information for the College Basketball Awards are available at collegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-640-0406, scott.hill@access-sports.net).

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With more than 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 its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

Related links:
• Matt Norlander's Wayman Tisdale Award Watch (Feb. 23)
• Integris Wayman Tisdale Award

2015-16 Wayman Tisdale National Freshmen of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 13: Henry Ellenson, Marquette (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 20: Dwayne Bacon, Florida State (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 27: Edmond Sumner, Xavier (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 3: Diamond Stone, Maryland (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 10: Brandon Ingram, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 17: Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State (Big 12 Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 24: Henry Ellenson, Marquette (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 31: Matt Morgan, Cornell (Ivy League)
• Week ending Feb. 7: Ben Simmons, LSU (Southeastern Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 14: Nick Emery, BYU (West Coast Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 21: Marcus Evans, Rice (Conference USA)

Related Link:
• Integris Wayman Tisdale Award (from integrisok.com)