UC Santa Barbara senior guard Alex Harris (Alameda, Calif./Notre Dame St. Joseph's HS) took home Big West Men's Basketball Player of the Week honors after leading the Gauchos to a pair of victories with solid scoring performances.

Harris, a first team all-conference selection last season, averaged 28.0 points and 5.0 rebounds to propel the Gauchos to home wins over San Francisco (74-69) and Montana State (76-61).  He shot 52.0% (13 of 25) from the field, including 50.0% (6 of 12) from three-point range.  Harris also connected at a 82.8% (24 of 29) clip at the free throw line.

Despite playing with his left hand heavily bandaged after injuring his thumb and missing a game, Harris returned to the floor against the Dons on Tuesday and produced 27 points on 7 of 12 shooting.  The 27 points matched the fourth-highest total of his career.  He hit four threes in the game.
 
Against the Bobcats, Harris posted 29 points for the third-highest single-game output of his career.  He also corraled a season-high eight rebounds to help compensate for the absence of All-Big West forward Chris Devine.  After going into halftime tied at 30-30, Harris scored UCSB's first 14 points of the second half and 20 overall after the break.  The effort helped the Gauchos pull away to a 15-point win.

This is Harris' third career Big West Player of the Week award.

Others nominated: Dreshawn Vance, Cal Poly; Tremaine Townsend, Cal State Northridge; Vince Oliver, UC Davis; Severin Gates, UC Riverside