INDIANAPOLIS – Southern Illinois guard Xavier Johnson has joined elite company after being named to the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy and All-America Watch Lists the U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced Tuesday afternoon.

Members of the association’s board of directors chose the players that will be considered as contenders for the National Player of the Year.

The 40 honored players for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and All-America consideration will be placed on the association’s annual awards ballot, which will be distributed to members today. The ballot also includes the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman Player of the Year Award, the Henry Iba National Coach of the Year Award and the 15-man USBWA All-America Team.

Johnson is leading the Missouri Valley in points (22.4), assists (6.2), free throws (200), minutes per game (36:40), ranks second in field goals (193) and ranks fourth in steals per game (1.5).

The Germantown, Maryland product leads the MVC in 20-point games with 16 while scoring 16 or more points in 27 games for the Salukis. He is fourth in program history in 30-point games in a season with six so far. He has recorded five or more assists in 25 games this season.

Johnson is looking to become the third player in MVC history to lead the MVC in both scoring and assists (Anthony Manuel, Bradley, 1989, and Curt Smith, Drake, 1993). Only one MVC player in the past 30 seasons has averaged in double-figure scoring with 6.0 or more assists: Reed Jackson, Evansville (1994-95), 13.8 ppg, 6.0 apg.

The USBWA board will then review and verify the results so that its All-America Team, Freshman Player of the Year and National Coach of the Year will be announced before the start of the men’s NCAA Tournament.

The Oscar Robertson Trophy winner is to be announced at the NCAA Men’s Final Four in Glendale, Ariz., from April 6-8. The formal presentation of the trophy will follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.