Jan. 22, 2019
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Mitch
314-795-6821
Forward sets school single-game freshman scoring record
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DUKE'S WILLIAMSON NAMED
WAYMAN TISDALE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – Duke forward Zion Williamson is the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week for games ending the week of Jan. 20. Williamson was selected by CBSSports.com's Matt Norlander, in partnership with the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

National Freshman of the WeekNorlander'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. 26, a standout first-year player will be chosen for the honor.

Williamson, a 6-7 forward from Spartanburg, S.C., averaged a team-best 31 points over a pair of ACC games and set the Duke single-game freshman scoring record with 35 points last Monday in a loss to Syracuse. He scored 27 points in Saturday’s home win over No. 4 Virginia on 10-of-16 shooting to go with nine rebounds and two steals.

Against Syracuse, Williamson recorded his eighth double-double with 10 rebounds and four blocks. For the week, Williamson was 22-for-36 (.611) from the field with 19 rebounds, five blocks and three steals. Williamson’s two career 30-point efforts this season have each come in ACC play.

“His impact elsewhere – blocking shots, swiping balls on defense – coupled with his sky-high efficiency have locked him in at the No. 1 spot all season in our Frosh Watch,” Norlander wrote in this week’s column. “He leads the NCAA with a 41.2 Player Efficiency Rating (PER). He's only scratching the surface of his offensive potential, and yet he's still putting up 21.5 points per game because of how he wields his big body to get to the rim at will.”

Williamson is second in the ACC in scoring at 21.5 points per game and leads the league in field goal percentage (.659).

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 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.

2018-19 Wayman Tisdale National Freshmen of the Week
Week ending Dec. 2: Zion Williamson, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Week ending Dec. 9: RJ Barrett, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Week ending Dec. 16: Wynston Tabbs, Boston College (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Week ending Dec. 23: Mac McClung, Georgetown (Big East Conference)
Week ending Dec. 30: Tyler Herro, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
Week ending Jan. 6: Antoine Davis, Detroit (Horizon League)
Week ending Jan. 13: Jaylen Gardner, East Carolina (American Athletic Conference)
Week ending Jan. 20: Zion Williamson, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Week ending Jan. 27: Zion Williamson, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
Week ending Feb. 3: Lamine Diane, Cal State Northridge (Big West Conference)
Week ending Feb. 10: Devon Dotson, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)1
Week ending Feb. 17: Jalen Pickett, Siena (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
Week ending Feb. 24: RJ Barrett, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)