ST. LOUIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Purdue guard
Carsen Edwards as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 25. The USBWA's weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
As the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week, Edwards was nominated for the weekly award, and then chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week. This is the ninth season that the USBWA has selected a national player of the week. Edwards is the final selcetion this season.
A 6-1, 200-pound sophomore from Atascocita, Texas, Edwards led the Boilermakers to a! 2-0 record last week by averaging 29.0 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting 17-of-31 from the field, 7-of-14 from 3-point range and 17-of-20 from the free throw line.
In a 93-86 win over Illinois, he scored a career-high 40 points including 25 in the second half · on Thursday night, the most for a Purdue sophomore since Glenn Robinson had 42 against Wisconsin on Feb. 13, 1993, and the most for a Purdue guard since Rick Mount had a Big Ten-record 61 points against Iowa on Feb, 28, 1970.
He then scored 18 points with seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots in the 84-60 win over Minnesota on Sunday. Edwards has scored in double figures in 14 straight games and now has 923 career points in 66 career games.
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 37th 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.
2017-18 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 3: Devonté Graham, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)
· Week ending Dec. 10: Shannon Evans II, Arizona State (Pac-12 Conference)
· Week ending Dec. 17: Trae Young, Oklahoma (Big 12 Conference)
· Week ending Dec. 24: Trae Young, Oklahoma (Big 12 Conference)
· Week ending Dec. 31: Kelan Martin, Butler (Big East Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 7: Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State (Big Ten Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 14: Chandler Hutchison, Boise State (Mountain West Conference) and Luwane Pipkins, Massachusetts (Atlantic 10 Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 21: Jock Landale, St. Mary's (West Coast Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 28: Kevin Knox, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 4: Noah Dickerson, Washington (Pac-12 Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 11: Shamorie Ponds, St. John's (Big East Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 18: Matt Mobley, St. Bonaventure (Atlantic 10 Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 25: Carsen Edwards, Purdue (Big Ten Conference)