INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Michigan State guard Cassius Winston as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 5.

As the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week, Winston 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. Once again, the USBWA will select a Division I men's National Player of the Week each Tuesday throughout the season. The USBWA has named Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week since the 2009-10 season.

Winston, a 6-1 senior from Detroit, averaged 26.5 points, 7.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds while connecting on 54.5 percent of his field goals, including 62.5 percent of his 3-point attempts (5-of-8) in decisive conference home wins over Illinois and Michigan.

He scored a career-high 32 points and handed out nine assists on Sunday in the 87-69 win over the Wolverines, then ranked No. 12. On Thursday, he scored 21 points, had six assists and four rebounds in a 76-56 win over Illinois.

Winston is third in the Big Ten in scoring (18.9), and  fourth in the league in assists (6.3). In four conference games, he is second in the Big Ten in scoring (24.3) and third in assists (7.0).

Winston now has 1,675 career points and has 802 career assists, becoming the first player in Big Ten history with 1,600 career points and 800 career assists. He needs just 16 more assists to pass Mateen Cleaves (817, 1996-2000) for the all-time lead at Michigan State.

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 Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.

2019-20 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
• Week ending Nov. 17: Myles Powell, Seton Hall (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Nov. 24: Vernon Carey Jr., Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 1: Jon Teske, Michigan (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 8: Luka Garza, Iowa (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 15: Payton Pritchard, Oregon (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 22: Jhivvan Jackson, UTSA (Conference USA)
• Week ending Dec. 29: Nick Richards, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 5: Cassius Winston, Michigan State (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 12: Jared Butler, Baylor (Big 12 Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 19: Markus Howard, Marquette (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 26: Chris Duarte, Oregon (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 2: Tommy Funk, Army West Point (Patriot League)
• Week ending Feb. 9: Jalen Harris, Nevada (Mountain West Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 16: Remy Martin, Arizona State (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 23: Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton (Big East Conference)
• Week ending March 1: Taveion Hollingsworth, WKU (Conference USA)