• USBWA Release
Lindenwood senior
Keenon Cole has been named one of five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week award winners by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
Cole, the OVC Player of the Week, averaged 31.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals/game while hitting 50 percent (16-of-32) from the field and 87.1 percent (27-of-31) at the line in two games. Cole scored 42 points, the most by a Division I player in a game this season, in the team’s 74-68 win at Southeast Missouri. It also marked the most by a Lindenwood player in its Division I era and the most by an OVC player since February 2019.
The senior added 11 rebounds and two steals as he hit 13-of-23 shots (3-of-6 3-pointers) and made 13-of-16 free throws, including scoring six points in the final minute to hold off the Redhawks comeback. He ended the week with 20 points, three rebounds, a block and assist at Tennessee State (hitting 14-of-15 free throws in the game. Among OVC players Cole ranks second in scoring (18.9/game) in all game and first in league-only games (23.0/game)
For the 2023-24 season, the USBWA has expanded its national player of the week program that has been affiliated with the Oscar Robertson Trophy since the 2009-10 season. In past seasons, the USBWA has recognized just one player each week.
The last OVC player to be named OVC Player of the Week was Murray State forward KJ Williams in February 2022.
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