INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 28.

As the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week, Cunningham 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 selected a Division I men's National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season; this is the final selection for the 2020-21 season. The USBWA has named Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week since the 2009-10 season.

Cunningham, a 6-8 freshman from Arlington, Texas, is the first Oklahoma State player to earn the honor after a banner week punctuated with a 40-point, 11-rebound game in the Cowboys’ overtime win at then-No. 7 Oklahoma. It was the first 40-point game by a freshman and the most points scored by a Big 12 player this season. It also marked the first 40-plus-point, 10-plus rebound game against an AP Top-10 team since 2006 and was just the third 40-point game in the 241-game Bedlam rivalry.

Earlier in the week Cunningham had 20 points in the Cowboys' win over then-No. 18 Texas Tech on Big Monday. The pair of wins vaulted OSU to No. 17 in this week’s AP rankings, the program’s highest ranking since 2014. For the week Cunningham averaged 30.0 points on 58.8 percent shooting, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks.

Cunningham leads the Big 12 in scoring (19.5 ppg) by almost two full points and helped complete OSU’s sweep of Oklahoma yesterday, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the final 10 minutes. That game was not included as part of the USBWA’s judging for the Feb. 28 honor.

OSU has won five straight and has three consecutive wins over ranked opponents. The Cowboys play at No. 3 Baylor at 6 p.m. Thursday on ESPN2. Baylor’s Jared Butler was the Big 12’s only other Oscar Robertson Player of the Week nominee from the week ending Jan. 24.

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.

2020-21 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 20: Boo Buie, Northwestern (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 27: Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (West Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 3: Liam Robbins, Minnesota (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 10: Matthew Hurt, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 17: Matt Lewis, James Madison (Colonial Athletic Association)
• Week ending Jan. 24: Jared Butler, Baylor (Big 12 Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 31: Keve Aluma, Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 7: Terry Taylor, Austin Peay (Ohio Valley Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 14: Drew Timme, Gonzaga (West Coast Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 21: Noah Williams, Washington State (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 28: Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State (Big 12 Conference)

• All-time USBWA National Players of the Week (Since 2009-10)