INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 9.
As the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week, Davis 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 and Davis is the first Wisconsin player to earn this weekly honor.
A 6-5 sophomore guard from La Crosse, Wis., Davis helped No. 13 Wisconsin (13-2) to a 3-0 week averaging 27.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game during that span highlighted by a career-high 37-point effort in a 74-9 win at then-No. 3 Purdue. Davis added 14 rebounds in that Jan. 3 win, then capped the week off Sunday night with a 19-point effort at Maryland as the Badgers extended their win streak to five games, 87-78.
Davis is currently fifth in the nation, averaging 22.3 points per game while also leading Wisconsin in rebounds (7.3 rpg), assists (2.7 apg) and steals (1.4 spg) and listing third on the team with 10 blocks. The career night at Purdue sparked the week as Davis continued with a team-high 26 points with nine rebounds and matched a career-high with five assists in Thursday's 87-78 home win against Iowa that matched the nations scoring leader, the Hawkeyes' Keegan Murray, who had 27 points.
Davis first gained acclaim this season as the 2021 Maui Jim Invitational Tournament MVP in November. Prior to the season's start, Davis won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup averaging 4.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 12.4 minutes per game over the seven-game tournament in July.
The Badgers continue Big Ten play on Thursday hosting No. 16 Ohio State (10-3) with a 6 p.m. CT tipoff 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.
2021-22 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 12: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona (Pac-12
Conference)
· Week ending Dec. 19: Alondes
Williams, Wake Forest (Atlantic Coast Conference)
·
Week ending Dec. 26: Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (Southeastern
Conference)
· Week ending Jan. 2: Walker Kessler,
Auburn (Southeastern Conference)
· Week ending
Jan. 9: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin (Big Ten Conference)
·
Week ending Jan. 16: Armando Bacot, North Carolina
(Atlantic Coast Conference)
· Week ending Jan.
23: Isiaih Mosley, Missouri State (Missouri Valley Conference)
·
Week ending Jan. 30: Bryce Hamilton, UNLV (Mountain
West Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 6: Hunter
Maldonado, Wyoming (Mountain West Conference)
·
Week ending Feb. 13: KJ Williams, Murray State (Ohio
Valley Conference)
· Week ending Feb. 20: Julian
Champagnie, St. John's (Big East Conference)
·
Week ending Feb. 27: KJ Williams, Murray State (Ohio
Valley Conference)
· Week ending March 6: Jaime
Jaquez Jr., UCLA (Pac-12 Conference)