Russ Smith, a Junior on Louisville’s 8th-ranked men’s basketball team, has been named a finalist for the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy and it was announced this morning by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Members of the association’s board of directors chose the finalists and the entire 900-member USBWA will vote on the awards as well as the annual All-America and All-District teams.
Smith is one of 14 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, presented annually by the USBWA since the 1958-59 season. 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. Other finalists for the award are: UNLV’s Anthony Bennett, Trey Burke of Michigan, Syracuse’s Michael Carter-Williams, Doug McDermott of Creighton, Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey of Kanss, Indiana’s Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller, Kelly Olynyk of Gonzaga, Duke’s Mason Plumlee, Otto Porter of Georgetown, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart, and Deshaun Thomas of Ohio State.
Smith, who has also been mentioned by ESPN as a breakout star this season, a Naismith candidate and has emerged as an All-America candidate for the No. 8 ranked Cardinals. He has been listed on the 2012-13 Midseason Top 25 Wooden Watch list and was named one of 19 third team recipients of the Academic Momentum Award. He is 4th in the Big East in scoring with 17.3 points a game, 3rd in free-throw shooting at 86.7% a game and 10th in steals with 1.6 per game. Russ is a member of Louisville’s 1000 point club and is currently 64th on the Cardinals all-time scoring list.
Overall, Smith averages 18.4 points, 3.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 29.7 minutes per game for the Cards. He is hitting 40.2% from the field and 32.4% from long range.
The recipient of the award will be announced on Friday, April 5, at the Final Four in Atlanta, Ga. They will then be formally presented their awards at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on Monday, April 15, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award, named after the former Oklahoma State Hall of Fame coach, will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
