UCSB’s Alan Williams was named Big West Player of the Week on Monday.
There was plenty of positive news for the UCSB men’s basketball team on Monday.
The Gauchos’ No. 14 ranking in the latest Mid-Major Top-25 Poll is a season best for UCSB.
The Gauchos are surging going into their Big West Conference opener this weekend having won three straight and six of their past seven. The Gauchos host Cal Poly on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Thunderdome. After that one, UCSB welcomes Long Beach State to Santa Barbara next Thursday.
Find the complete Mid-Major Poll HERE.
The No. 1 team in the mid-major poll, the undefeated Wichita State Shockers (15-0), are the No. 6 team in the nation overall according to the AP and USA Today rankings.
On top of the rise in the poll,?Alan Williams was named Big West Player of the Week for the third time this season.
The junior scored 27 points with eight rebounds in a win over Seattle on December 30. In that game he shot 8-of-14 from the field, hit 11-of-13 from the charity stripe and collected three steals and a pair of blocks.
Williams, currently the fifth-highest scorer in the nation on a points per game basis, added a 23-point, 12-rebound performance in a blowout win over The Master’s.
“Alan just continues to produce for us,” said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. “It doesn’t matter who we play, he plays hard and is productive.”
