Morrison, Redick share award

They’ve been linked to each other all season.

And for the first time in its 50-year history, the United States Basketball Writers Association named co-players of the year in college basketball: Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick.

Gonzaga’s Morrison and Duke’s Redick, the nation’s top two NCAA Division I scorers, will be presented with the Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy during a college basketball awards ceremony at Conseco Fieldhouse today in Indianapolis, site of this year’s NCAA Final Four. It’s the first time a GU player has received the award.

“About once in a generation, we see a situation where there are two extraordinary players who separate themselves from the rest of college basketball and clearly stand together as the best in the game,” said USBWA President Tony Barnhart.

“It happened in 1979 with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and the USBWA feels it has happened again with Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick. Our organization has never voted for co-players of the year, but on this, the 50th anniversary of the USBWA, it seems entirely appropriate to break with precedent in order to honor two equally deserving young men.”

Morrison, a 6-8 junior forward, led the nation in scoring with a 28.4 average while Redick, a 6-4 senior guard, finished second at 27.8 points per game.

Both players were unanimous selections to the USBWA All-America team.

The USBWA player of the year award is the nation’s oldest. Two major player-of-the-year awards – the Naismith and Wooden – will be announced in April.