Feb. 16, 2010

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has announced that Kentucky freshmen DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall were finalists for the 2010 Oscar Robertson Trophy, to be presented to the association’s national player of the year.

Cousins, a 6-11 forward from Mobile, Ala., is averaging a double-double for the Wildcats with 15.9 ppg and 10.2 rpg. He ranks second in the SEC and 19th nationally in rebounding while his 15 double-doubles is the most in the SEC and the seventh most in the country.

Wall, a 6-4 guard from Raleigh, N.C., leads Kentucky in scoring and his assists. His 17.0 ppg is fourth in the SEC while his 6.6 assist per game average is best in the SEC and third nationally. Wall is the first Wildcat in history to record a double-double in points and assists as well as points and rebounds.

The two are the only freshmen on the list of 16 finalists and one of only two sets of teammates (Cole Alderich and Sheron Collins of Kansas).

The presentation of this year’s award will take place on Friday, April 2 at the USBWA’s annual awards breakfast at the Columbia Club in Indianapolis in conjunction with the NCAA Men’s Final Four. The breakfast will also honor the winner of the Henry Iba Award, the association’s coach of the year.

The Oscar Robertson Trophy is voted on by the entire membership of the association, which consists of nearly 900 journalists.