Naismith, Oscar Robertson Awards Recognize Pritchard
Senior Payton Pritchard added to his growing stack of watch lists by being recognized by the Naismith Trophy and the Oscar Robertson Trophy on Thursday.
Pritchard was one of 12 players selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association for its 2019-20 Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List. The 12 players will be considered as contenders for the National Player of the Year. Pritchard was the only player from the Pac-12 on the watch list.
He was also one of 30 players named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team. Pritchard and Isaiah Stewart of Washington were the only Pac-12 players on that list.
Pritchard is the only player in the nation leading his conference in both scoring (19.5 points per game) and assists (5.9 per game). He is one of four players nationally averaging at least 19 points, four rebounds and five assists per game.
A two-time national player of the week honoree this season (Oscar Robertson Trophy, NCAA.com), Pritchard leads the nation with 133 consecutive starts. He is the only player in Pac-12 history with 1,700 career points, 600 career assists and 500 career rebounds.
Already the school’s record holder in assists (630), wins (99) and games started (133), Pritchard is also on pace to become the school’s career leader in steals and games played and could become just the second 2,000-point scorer in program history.
In addition to the Naismith and Oscar Roberson awards, Pritchard is one of 10 final candidates for the 2020 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, which was announced last week. He was previously named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List. Other honors this season include Pac-12 preseason first team, the Battle 4 Atlantis all-tournament team and the Sporting News Midseason All-America team.
The Naismith Trophy will announce its 10 semifinalists March 5, and the finalists will be revealed on March 17. The winner of the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Men’s Player of the Year will be announced on April 5 at the Naismith Awards Brunch in Atlanta.
In March, the USBWA will announce its 2019-20 All-America Team and, at that time, finalists will also be chosen for the player of the year. Once finalists are announced, the entire USBWA membership will vote for the winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented by its namesake at the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta in April and the winner will be honored at the USBWA Awards Dinner on April 13 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
No. 17 Oregon hosts No. 16 Colorado Thursday night at 6 p.m. in a battle for first place in the Pac-12.