INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Feb. 4.
For the 2023-24 season, the USBWA has expanded its national player of the week program that has been affiliated with the Oscar Robertson Trophy since the 2009-10 season. In past seasons, the USBWA has recognized just one player each week.
Each Tuesday during the regular season, designated USBWA board members will select five standouts from the 32 Division I conference players of the week to be recognized. This week's selections were chosen from a list of the conferences that named a player of the week on Monday.
Following are the five players selected for performances this past week:
Johni Broome, Auburn (Southeastern Conference)
Broome averaged 15.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.0 blocks in wins over Vanderbilt and at Ole Miss. The 6-10, 240-pound junior from Plant City, Fla., recorded his 55th career double-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots against Vandy, then followed that performance with 15 points, nine rebounds, a career-high seven assists and three blocks against Ole Miss that handed them their first home loss of the season. Broome is currently on a 13-game double-digit scoring streak, which includes five double-doubles.
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)
Dickinson averaged 18 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in Kansas' wins over Oklahoma State and No. 4 Houston. The senior center from Alexandria, Va., posted his Big 12-leading 12th double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds against OSU. Additionally, Dickinson scored his 2,000th career point to become only the third active NCAA Division I player to surpass 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. In the win against Houston, Dickinson led Kansas with 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds with four assists. He has scored at least 20 points in 10 games this season and 44 times in his career.
Quincy Olivari, Xavier (Big East Conference)
Olivari averaged 33.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in a 2-0 week. The graduate guard from Atlanta, poured in a collegiate career-high 43 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 93-68 win at DePaul. The 43 points was the highest total in a Big East game since DePaul’s Max Strus had 43 against St. John’s on March 3, 2019. In an 88-77 home win earlier in the week against St. John’s, Olivari had 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals. For the two games, he made 11-of-20 from 3-point range.
Max Rice, Boise State (Mountain West Conference)
Rice averaged 23.5 points per game as Boise State went 2-0 on the week. The sixth-year guard from Boise, set career highs in points (35), 3-pointers (7) and field goals (12) in an 86-78 win at No. 19/20 New Mexico on Jan. 31. The win was only the fourth at The Pit for the Broncos, and fourth win on the road against a ranked opponent. Rice is the second BSU player since 2010-11 to have 30-plus points in a road win against a ranked opponent and the first since Derrick Marks in 2012-13. He then scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field in Boise State's 38-point win over Air Force, Feb. 3. The MW weekly honor is the second of Rice's career and first by a Bronco this season.
Tyler Thomas, Hofstra (Coastal Athletic Association)
Thomas lifted Hofstra to a pair of pivotal home wins to keep the Pride in the top six of a crowded CAA race. The graduate guard from New Haven, Conn., averaged 24.5 points on 50 percent shooting while adding 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game in wins over Stony Brook and Towson. Thomas’ 26-point night on Thursday was capped off by a game-winner with 0.4 seconds remaining to beat the Pride’s Long Island rival. He followed it with 23 points, seven rebounds and nine assists in a nationally-televised win over Towson.
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 winner of the award will be announced at the 2024 Men's Final Four in Glendale, Ariz., with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 800 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.
2023-24 USBWA Men's Weekly Honors
• Week ending Nov. 12: Armando Bacot, North Carolina; Tucker DeVries, Drake; Terrence Edwards, James Madison; Dillon Jones, Weber State; Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor.
• Week ending Nov. 19: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas; Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State; Quinten Post, Boston College; Kyle Rode, Liberty; Marcus Tsohonis, Long Beach State.
• Week ending Nov. 26: Zach Edey, Purdue; Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas; Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State; Tyler Thomas, Hofstra; Jamir Watkins, Florida State.
• Week ending Dec. 3: Boo Buie Northwestern; Boogie Ellis, USC; Baylor Scheierman, Creighton; Shahada Wells, McNeese; Trazarien White, UNCW.
• Week ending Dec. 10: Mika Adams-Woods, St. Bonaventure; Enrique Freeman, Akron; David Jones, Memphis; Arthur Kaluma, Kansas State; Tyler Kolek, Marquette.
• Week ending Dec. 17: Tyler Cochran, Toledo; Kevin Cross, Tulane; Fletcher Loyer, Purdue; Ian Martinez, Utah State; Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary's.
• Week ending Dec. 24: Oumar Ballo, Arizona; Johnell Davis, Florida Atlantic; RJ Davis, North Carolina; Jarod Lucas, Nevada; Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina.
• Week ending Dec. 31: T.J. Bickerstaff, James Madison; Branden Carlson, Utah; Xavier Johnson, Southern Illinois; Noah Reynolds, Green Bay; Reese Waters, San Diego State.
• Week ending Jan. 7: Armando Bacot, North Carolina; James Bishop IV, George Washington; Marcus Domask, Illinois; Jonathan Mogbo, San Francisco; Great Osobor, Utah State.
• Week ending Jan. 14: Keenon Cole, Lindenwood; Frankie Fidler, Omaha; Jordan Johnson, New Orleans; Isaac Jones, Washington State; Dalton Knecht, Tennessee.
• Week ending Jan. 21: Zach Edey, Purdue; Kezza Giffa, High Point; DaRon Holmes II, Dayton; Dalton Knecht, Tennessee; Jamal Shead, Houston.
• Week ending Jan. 28: Tommy Bruner, Denver; Boo Buie, Northwestern; RJ Davis, North Carolina; Jordan Pope, Oregon State; Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina.
• Week ending Feb. 4: Johni Broome, Auburn; Hunter Dickinson, Kansas; Quincy Olivari, Xavier; Max Rice, Boise State; Tyler Thomas, Hofstra.