CREIGHTON'S ZEGAROWSKI IS OSCAR ROBERTSON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Contact Malcolm Moran
malcolm@usbwa.com
(814) 574-1485

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Creighton guard Marcus Zegarowski as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 23.

As the Big East Conference Player of the Week, Zegarowski 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.

Zegarowski, a 6-2 sophomore from Hamilton, Mass., averaged 21.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in wins over No. 19 Marquette and No. 21 Butler. In the two games, he shot 69.6 percent (16-for-23) from the field and 7-for-8 from three. The perfect week lifted the Bluejays to 22-6 on the season and to season-best No. 10 in this week's Associated Press Top 25.

On Tuesday, Zegarowski scored 17 points to go with five rebounds and three assists in the 73-65 win at Marquette. On the night, he made 7-of-11 shots from the field, including 4-of-4 in the second half. He followed that up on Sunday when he tied a Big East single-game record by making 7-of-7 three point shots en route to 25 points in only 25 minutes. He was 5-for-5 from downtown in the first half as Creighton raced to a 40-21 halftime lead on its way to the decisive 81-59 win. Zegarowski made 9-of-12 shots overall, also adding three rebounds, an assist and a steal in the game.

Zegarowski is the first Creighton player to earn the USBWA's National Player of the Week honor since 2014 Oscar Robertson Trophy winner Doug McDermott was tabbed twice that season and four times in his career.

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.