ST. LOUIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Baylor's Johnathan Motley as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 21. The USBWA's weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
As the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week, Motley 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. This is the seventh season that the USBWA has selected a national player of the week.
Motley, a 6-9 sophomore forward from Houston, Texas, lead the Bears to back-to-back wins vs. ranked opponents, with 25.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 31.5 minutes last week. He connected on 22-of-30 (.733) shots from the field, improving his Big 12-leading field goal percentage from .624 to .640.
In just his second start of the season, Motley matched his career high with 27 points against Iowa State in a 100-91 overtime win last Tuesday to start the week. He followed on Saturday with 24 points at Texas, making 12-of-13 (.923) from the floor, in 28 minutes in a decisive 78-64 road win.
Motley is the fourth Big 12 player to earn the weekly honor this season.
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 winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented at the College Basketball Awards on April 11, 2016, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually following the NCAA Men's Final Four.
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 35th 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.
2015-16 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 13: Javan Felix, Texas (Big 12 Conference)
· Week ending Dec. 20: Kay Felder, Oakland (Horizon League)
· Week ending Dec. 27: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (Big 12 Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 3: Kris Dunn, Providence (Big East Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 10: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (Big 12 Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 17: Jack Gibbs, Davidson (Atlantic 10 Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 24: Jakob Poeltl, Utah (Pac-12 Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 31: Dillon Brooks, Oregon (Pac-12 Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 7: Ryan Anderson, Arizona (Pac-12 Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 14: Austin McBroom, Eastern Washington (Big Sky Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 21: Johnathan Motley, Baylor (Big 12 Conference)