March 10, 2008

IRVINE, Calif. - UCSB senior guard Alex Harris was selected the 2008 Big West co-Player of the Year, along with Cal State Fullerton's Scott Cutley. Harris, who finished the regular season averaging 20.3 points per game, was also chosen First Team All-Big West for the second consecutive year.

"Alex was very deserving of the honor," said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. "He has had such a good year, despite how hard teams come after him. From day one he has been consistently outstanding and I am very happy for him."

Harris has helped the Gauchos to one of the best seasons in school history. They enter the Big West Tournament as the No. 1 seeded team and will play in the semifinals on Friday. UCSB has won a school record 23 games in 2007-08, and they closed the campaign on a six-game Big West winning streak to ultimately tie for the league's regular season championship.

Harris is the fourth UCSB player to earn the Player of the Year honor, joining Brian Shaw (1988), Lucius Davis (1992), and Branduinn Fullove (2003).

While Alex Harris was UCSB's only First Team All-Big West honoree, three other Gauchos were named Honorable Mention All-Big West. Junior forward Chris Devine, a two-time Second Team All-Big West choice, senior forward Ivan Elliott, and sophomore guard James Powell were each accorded Honorable Mention recognition.

Devine and Powell are tied for second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game. Devine is also second in rebounding (5.1 per game), first in steals (36), and second in field goal percentage (50.8%). Powell paces the team in three-point baskets (72), is second in assists (2.7 per game), and second in steals (35). He is also second on the team in three-point field goal percentage at 46.2%. Elliott is averaging 9.7 points per game overall, but 10.6 per game in Big West play, he leads UCSB in overall field goal percentage (57.8%), three-point field goal percentage (48.1), and rebounding (5.7 per game).