Senior guard Orlando Johnson, who nearly led UCSB to an upset of 18th-ranked UNLV on Nov. 30, was named Big West Player of the Week the league announced Monday.
Johnson scored a season-high 36 points, had 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and a pair of blocked shots as the Gauchos lost a 94-88 double overtime decision to the visiting Runnin’ Rebels. It was Johnson’s second-highest scoring effort ever and it moved him into ninth-place on UCSB’s all-time scoring list with 1,357 points.
The double-double was Johnson’s third of the season and, in fact, his third in the last three games. He is now averaging 23.8 points per game on the season, a figure that ranks him at the top of the Big West and fourth in the nation.
The Gauchos (4-2) are off his week as players take their final examinations. They will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 13 when they open a four-game, 12-day road trip with a 6:00 p.m. game at the University of San Diego.
