INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected UNLV guard Bryce Hamilton as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 30.
As the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, Hamilton 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.
A 6-4 senior from Pasadena, Calif., capped his week with a 42-point ourburst in the Runnin' Rebels' upset of No. 22 Colorado State on Friday night. The 88-74 win handed the Rams their first home-court loss of the season. Hamilton is the first UNLV player to top the 40-point mark in a game since Trevor Diggs scored 49 on March 3, 2001. The 42 points is the ninth-best scoring output in program history. In just 26 minutes, Hamilton was 7-for-13 from three-point range and added seven rebounds and five assists.
On Monday night, Hamilton had 23 points and six rebounds in an 80-55 loss at San Diego State. For the week, he averaged 32.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 11-for-22 from the three-point arc. Hamilton is the second UNLV player to earn the USBWA's national weekly honor, joining Christian Wood from the week ending Dec. 28, 2014.
The Runnin' Rebels, 12-9 overall and 4-4 in the Mountain West, host in-state rival Nevada tonight at 7:30 p.m. PT on FS1.
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)