WKU'S HOLLINGSWORTH 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 WKU guard Taveion Hollingsworth as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, March 1.

As the Conference USA Co-Player of the Week, Hollingsworth 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.

Hollingsworth, a 6-2 junior from Lexington, Ky., averaged 32.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a split of two overtime games against the top two teams in C-USA last week. In Thursdays 95-91 win over Louisiana Tech, Hollingsworth poured in a career-high 43 points in 44 minutes to keep WKU's hopes for a regular-season title alive. He shot 11-of-18 from the field, including 4-of-7 3-pointers, and was 17-for-19 from the foul line. With WKU down 15 with 3:23 to play, Hollingsworth scored 17 points over the rest of regulation, including a game-tying three with two seconds left. His 43 points were the eighth-most ever by a Hilltopper and the most since 1971, as well as the ninth-most ever by a C-USA player.

On Sunday, Hollingsworth followed up with a team-high 22 points with four steals in WKU's overtime loss to conference champion North Texas.

Hollingsworth is the first WKU player to earn the USBWA's National Player of the Week honor and the second C-USA player this season, joining UTSA's Jhivvan Jackson back in December.

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.