Jan. 29, 2008

ATLANTA, Ga. - University of Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose were two of 30 collegiate players from across the country named to the 2008 Naismith Trophy Mid-Season List, the Atlanta Tip-Off Club announced Tuesday. The Naismith Trophy has been given to the nation's top collegiate player since 1969.

Douglas-Roberts and Rose were selected to the 2008 John R. Wooden Award Mid-Season List earlier this week. Memphis is one of five schools with at least two players on the Naismith Trophy Mid-Season List. The other four schools were Indiana (D.J. White and Eric Gordon), North Carolina (Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson), Texas (A.J. Abrams and D.J. Augustin) and UCLA (Kevin Love and Josh Shipp).

Beginning Feb. 9, CBS Sports "AT&T At The Half" will feature a candidate each week. On Mar. 23, CBS will announce the four Naismith Trophy finalists, and the 2008 Naismith Trophy recipient will be announced Apr. 6 during the NCAA Final Four.

Fans will be able to cast their vote until Apr. 5. For more information on the Naismith Trophy and how to vote, go to www.naismithawards.com.

The 2007-08 Conference USA preseason Player of the Year, Douglas-Roberts leads the Tigers in scoring with a 16.8 average. He also averages 4.6 boards and is shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three-point line. The Detroit, Mich., native became the 43rd Tiger in the program's history to score 1,000 points in a career earlier this year, and is in the No. 30 spot on the Memphis all-time scoring list with 1,141 points. The 6-foot-7 guard ranks among the Conference USA leaders in scoring (6th), field goal percentage (7th) and three-point field goal percentage (1st).

Douglas-Roberts earned Conference USA Player of the Week honors twice earlier this season.

Rose is second on the team with a 14.3 scoring average and leads the squad with 84 assists (4.4 apg). The 6-foot-3 guard also averages 4.1 boards per game and shoots 48.5 percent from the floor and 68 percent from the free throw line. Rose is ranked among Conference USA leaders in scoring (8th), field goal percentage (13th), assists (5th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (11th).

The Chicago, Ill., native also is a nominee for the 2007-08 Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard. In mid-December, Rose earned his first C-USA Player of the Week honor.

The Tigers (19-0, 5-0 C-USA), ranked No. 1 in both national polls, return to action Wednesday, Jan. 30 when they travel to Houston to take on the Cougars (15-3, 4-0 C-USA). The game, to be televised by CSTV (Memphis Comcast digital cable 222), is slated for a 7:00 p.m. (CT) start.