INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Murray State forward KJ Williams as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 27. It is the second time this season for Williams to earn the award in the last three weeks as he was the USBWA's selection for the week ending Feb. 13 as well.
As the Ohio Valley Player of the Week, Williams was nominated for the weekly award and 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.
Earlier today, Williams was named the OVC Player of the Year, earning All-OVC honors for a third time in his career.
The 6-foot-10 junior from Cleveland, Miss., sparked the Racers (28-2) to the OVC regular-season title and an undefeated 18-0 conference record with a 23-point game at Southeast Missouri State last Saturday. Murray State rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 6:38 for a 70-68 win to become only the sixth OVC team to finish league play unblemished. Williams was 10-of-21 from the field to go with eight rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.
Williams' 30-point game in a 76-43 win over Belmont last Thursday set up the clincher and marked his third 30-point game this season. He hit 12-of-19 shots including all four of his trey attempts and added five rebounds and a steal.
In the two games last week, Williams shot 55 percent from the field (22-of-40) and 50 percent from the 3-point line (5-of-10). He hit all four of his free throws and pulled down 13 rebounds.
Williams ends the regular season leading the OVC in scoring (18.2) and is second in rebounding (8.5) and fifth in field goal percentage (54.4) as Murray State won its 28th regular season OVC title.
The Racers are the top seed in this week's OVC Tournament at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., and have a bye into the semifinals. Murray State enters the postseason with the most wins in NCAA Division I and tied with South Dakota for the nation's longest win streak at 18 games.
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.