INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Oregon guard Chris Duarte as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 26.

As the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week, Duarte 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.

Duarte, a 6-6 junior from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, averaged 27.0 points on 50 percent shooting (17-for-34) in a pair of home conference wins. He shot 54 percent from 3-point range (7-for-13) to go along with 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 steals, 2.5 assists and 2.0 blocks as the Ducks took over sole possession of first place in the Pac-12.

Last Thursday, he posted 30 points, 11 rebounds and a Matthew Knight Arena-record eight steals in a 79-70 double-overtime win over USC; it was the first such line in Division I since 1999 (Alvin Young, Niagara), and his eight steals were the most by a Pac-12 player since 2015. On Saturday, he followed up with with 24 points, six rebounds, six steals and five assists in just 29 minutes in a 96-75 rout of UCLA.

Duarte is the second Oregon player to earn this national honor this season. Six weeks ago, teammate Payton Pritchard was tabbed by the USBWA as the national player of the week.

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)