USBWA > News > Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week

READ THE TIPOFF | ONLINE DIRECTORY | JOIN THE USBWA | WRITING CONTEST WINNERS

Dec. 27, 2017
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Mitch
314-795-6821

Freshman repeats with 28.5 ppg and 17 apg

OKLAHOMA'S YOUNG IS OSCAR
ROBERTSON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Oklahoma guard Trae Young as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Dec. 24. The USBWA's weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.

Young repeats as this week's honoree based on his historic week. As the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week he was nominated for the weekly award, and then chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week. This is the ninth season that the USBWA has selected a national player of the week.

The 6-2 freshman guard from Norman, Okla., helped Oklahoma to a 2-0 week, averaging 28.5 points, 17.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 28 minutes per game while shooting 18-of-32 (.563) from the field and 11-of-19 (.579) from 3-point range.

Last Tuesday against Northwestern State, Young's 22 assists tied an NCAA record for most assists in a game (assists became official in 1983-84) while breaking both Oklahoma and Big 12 records (both were 18 assists). Young is the fourth player in recorded college basketball history to register 22 assists and the first since Sherman Douglas of Syracuse in 1989, and since the NCAA began recording assists in 1983, Young is the only freshman to dish out 20 or more assists in a game. He continued his scoring prowess as well, with 26 points and four rebounds in 29 minutes while shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range.

Young is the first NCAA player to record over 20 points and 20 assists in at least 20 years. Young’s performance is also the first 20-point, 20-assist game in Big 12 history and the first 20-20 game of any kind in the conference since Rico Gathers of Baylor had 31 points and 21 rebounds in 2015 (also against Northwestern State).

Last Friday against Northwestern, Young produced 31 points and 12 assists in 27 minutes while shooting 9-of-16 and 8-of-13 from the field. The performance was the second time this season Young has recorded at least 30 points and 10 assists in a game. Per ESPN Stats and Info, Young joins Chris Thomas (2001-02 Notre Dame) as the only players from a major conference in the last 20 seasons to have a pair of 30-point, 10-assist games in the same season. Additionally, prior to this season, on only one occasion had a Big 12 player accomplished the feat (Curtis Jerrells of Baylor in 2009).

Young continues to lead the nation in scoring at 28.7 points per game and in assists with 10.4 per game. His 10th consecutive game of 20-plus points is Oklahoma's first since Stacey King had 11 straight in the 1988-89 season. Young reached a double-double before halftime in both games last week, averaging 20.0 points and 11.5 assists in the first half alone.

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 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 37th season. 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.

Follow @usbwa