INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Gonzaga forward Drew Timme as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 14.
As the West Coast Conference Player of the Week, Timme 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.
Timme, a 6-10 sophomore forward from Richardson, Texas, poured in a combined 48 points in two wins for the top-ranked Zags last week while shooting 79.2 percent (19-of-24) from the field. He also had 23 rebounds and three blocks in the wins over BYU and San Francisco. Last Saturday at San Francisco Timme shot 11-of-12 from the field, making his first eight shots while scoring 21 of his 28 points in the first half and finishing one point short of his career-high scoring total. His 28/10 game came in only 22 minutes of play and he added two blocks.
Monday at BYU, Timme had his third double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds shooting 8-of-12 from the field. Timme has averaged 21.8 points per game with 72.5 percent shooting from the field over his last six games and now leads the WCC with 19.35 points per game shooting a league-leading 64 percent from the field. He is fourth in the WCC averaging 7.25 rebounds per game and has four double-doubles.
He has been the WCC's Player of the Week three times now and twice in February. The Zags have earned nine of the 12 WCC honors this season.
Timme is the third Gonzaga player to ever earn the National Player of the Week and the second this season. Forward Corey Kispert snagged the honor for games the week of Dec. 27. They are the first Gonzaga players to be so honored since Kyle Whiltjer won it twice during the 2014-15 season. The last WCC player prior to Kispert to win the weekly honor was Jock Landale of St. Mary's following the week of Jan. 21, 2018.
Gonzaga hosts St. Mary's at 6 p.m. PT Thursday and San Diego at 8 p.m. PT Saturday. Both games are on ESPN2.
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)