Angel On USBWA Player of the Year Watch List
ST. LOUIS – Junior point guard Angel Rodriguez was named to the early-season Watch List for the 2014-15 Oscar Robertson Trophy for national player of the year, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced Monday.
Rodriguez, who was named ACC Player of the Week earlier Monday after powering the Hurricanes to a perfect 4-0 week and the Charleston Classic championship, was one of just 24 players to make the list.
Miami made its season debut in the top 20 of the two major college basketball polls thanks in large part to the play of Rodriguez, who is competing in his first season as a Hurricane. The junior is averaging 16.6 points, 5.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 steals through Miami’s flawless 5-0 start.
The winners of the Oscar Robertson Trophy (recognizing player of the year), the Wayman Tisdale Award (freshman of the year) and the Henry Iba Award (coach of the year),will be announced in March and presented to the winners at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards gala at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City on April 14, 2015.
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 second-oldest player of the year award and the only one named after a former player. Creighton’s Doug McDermott was the USBWA national player of the year last season.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With more than 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.
Season tickets to the Hurricanes men’s basketball season start for as low as $119, with two different three-game Mini Plans also available through CanesTix.com.
Stay up to date with Miami Basketball on their Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages (@CanesHoops), and make sure to visit RenewedHoops.com for a unique and detailed look at the 2014-15 team.
