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Feb. 12, 2019
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Mitch
314-795-6821

Senior forward leads sweep of Arizona schools

WASHINGTON STATE'S FRANKS IS OSCAR
ROBERTSON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Washington State forward Robert Franks as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 10. The USBWA's weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.

As the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week, Franks 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. The USBWA has named Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week since the 2009-10 season.

The 6-9 senior from Vancouver, Wash., had the best two-game weekend of his career, averaging 32.5 points with 65 percent field-goal accuracy (22 of 34 shooting) as Washington State posted its first weekend conference sweep at Arizona and Arizona State since the 2006-07 season – and only its third all-time. At Arizona State, Franks tied his career high with 34 points to go with 13 rebounds and four blocks along with a career-high four steals. He scored 23 points in the first half in WSU's 91-70 win.

Two nights later at Arizona, Frank poured in 31 points with eight rebounds, helping the Cougars snap a 13-game losing streak to the Wildcats with a 69-55 win, its first in the series since the 2009-10 season. That marked his fourth game of 30-plus points this season. On the weekend, Franks was 9-of-9 from the line to extend his current free throws-made streak to 28 in a row. He hit 12-of-18 three-pointers in the two-game set, and averaged 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.0 assists and 2.0 blocks.

Franks leads the Pac-12 in scoring at 22.6 points per game that is also 15th in the nation. He is the first Washington State player to earn the Pac-12's Player of the Week honor since December, 2015, and the first Cougars player to earn the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week since Jan. 23, 2012. He is now 21st on Washington State's career-scoring list with his current 1,195 career points.

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 38th 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.

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