INDIANAPOLIS – Illinois State junior forward Chase Walker has been named one of five U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games ending on Sunday, January 4.
Over the two games during the week – a 73-56 win over Drake and a 73-47 win over Evansville – Walker averaged 19.5 points per game on the week, the second-highest total in the MVC, as he helped the Redbirds remain undefeated in MVC play. His field goal percentage was the fifth-best in the MVC during the time frame (65.2%). Against Evansville he scored a season-high 22 points, his sixth consecutive game scoring in double-digits, as he has scored 15+ in each of the last four games - all in MVC play
He is third in the MVC in scoring during conference games and is one of two players in the MVC to rank inside of the top 15 in conference play in points, rebounds, and assists.
A Columbus, Ohio, native, he has helped ISU improve to 12-3 for the first time since 2008-09, and to a 4-0 mark for just the seventh time in program history, and the first time since 2016-17. During the awards window for this week-ish, ISU had the top field goal percentage (53.5), three-point field goal percentage (44.4), scoring defense allowed (51.5), field goal percentage allowed (32.7), and allowed the second-lowest three-point percentage (28.3), while also leading the conference in scoring margin (21.5) and finishing second in rebound margin (+7.0).
Walker was joined on the team by Rafael Castro (George Washington), Boopie Miller (SMU), Paulius Marauskas (St. Mary's), and Kahlil Singleton (Canisius).
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.
The Redbirds return to action on Wednesday, January 7, when the squad travels to Valparaiso, Indiana, to take on the Beacons in a 7 p.m. tip-off inside of the Athletics-Recreation Center.
