Durant, Oden among Oscar Robertson Trophy finalists

Feb 28, 2007, 20:45 GMT

St. Louis, MO - Freshmen Kevin Durant of Texas and Greg Oden of Ohio State are among five finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, presented annually to the nation's player of the year by the United States Basketball Writers Association.

Durant, a 6-foot-9 swingman, is fifth in the nation in scoring with an average of 24.7 points per game and fourth in rebounding at 11.3 per contest. He has seven 30-point games and 17 double-doubles this season, and has been named the Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Week a league-record six times.

Oden, averaging 15.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, has led the Buckeyes to the No. 1 spot in both major polls. The seven-foot center leads the Big Ten in rebounding, field goal percentage (60.9) and blocks (3.5).

Others finalists for the award are sophomore forward Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina, junior forward Joakim Noah of Florida and senior forward Alando Tucker of Wisconsin.

Hansbrough, last year's USBWA Freshman of the Year, is averaging 18.7 points and 7.6 rebounds this season. Noah, who led the Gators to last year's national championship, is averaging 12.0 points and 8.1 rebounds this season, while Tucker is second in the Big Ten with an average of 19.9 points per game.

The Oscar Robertson Trophy is considered to be the oldest of its kind and has been awarded since 1959 in voting by members of the USBWA. Five nominees are presented and the individual with the most votes will receive the award, a replica of an 18-inch bronze sculpture of Robertson, during the USBWA's annual awards breakfast on Friday, March 30 in Atlanta.

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