Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin wins Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week award

The weekly awards keep piling up for Bennedict Mathurin, who in addition to being Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second time in a row has landed a national honor for his recent play.

The United States Basketball Writers Association has tabbed Mathurin as the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for his performance last week in wins over Wyoming and Illinois. He is the first Arizona player to win the award since Lauri Markannen did so in 2016-17.

The UA has now had three USWBA Oscar Roberston National POW winners, the other being Ryan Anderson in 2015-16.

Mathurin averaged 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and three assists on 60.6 percent shooting, including 7 of 14 from 3-point range last week. He had 30 points in Arizona’s 83-79 win at Illinois on Saturday, which helped lift the unbeaten Wildcats (9-0) to No. 8 in the latest Associated Press Top 25, their highest ranking since 2018-19.

The Pac-12 named Mathurin Player of the Week for a second consecutive week, the first UA player to do that since Hassan Adams in 2005-06.

Arizona and Mathurin are back in action Wednesday at home against Northern Colorado.