Fresno State Athletics
Harris named MW Player of the Week
2/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 29, 2016
By Stephen Trembley
strembley@csufresno.edu
www.GoBulldogs.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- When the game has been on the line, the Fresno State men's basketball team has turned to senior guard Marvelle Harris, who earned his fourth career Mountain West Player of the Week honor, the league office announced Monday morning.
This is Harris' fourth career weekly conference award and second this season.
Last week, Harris averaged 26.0 points, 7.5 assists, 3.5 steals, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks with a 15-to-1 assist turnover ratio while leading the Bulldogs to a 2-0 record with a 64-63 win over Air Force and a 92-82 win at New Mexico.
"To me, Marvelle is the best player in this league, but I'm a little biased because I'm his coach," Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry said. "He's been really poised and trusts his teammates right now. This team has really bought into doing whatever it takes to win."
In the 10-point win at New Mexico, Harris scored 32 points with a career-high 10 assists (no turnovers) as the Bulldogs earned their first ever win over the Lobos at The Pit. Harris is the third MW player to have at least 10 assists in a single game this season and second to reach 10 assists with no turnovers during conference play. Harris also had three rebounds, three steals and two blocks, and scored 21 of his 32 points in the second half of a game in which the 'Dogs erased a 13-point first half deficit. This was Harris' third game with at least 32 points this season.
With the score knotted at 61-61 with 10:22 remaining in the second half, Harris scored six straight points to spark an 8-0 run, which gave Fresno State a 69-62 lead over New Mexico with 8:20 left in the game and the Bulldogs never relinquished control or the lead down the stretch.
Earlier in the week, Harris scored Fresno State's final 12 points as the Bulldogs erased a nine-point deficit with 1:53 remaining behind Harris' game-winning 10-0 run to end the game and beat Air Force 64-63. Harris made both free throws with four seconds left, which capped the 10-0 run and gave the Bulldogs the come-from-behind win.
For the game, Harris posted 20 points, five assists (only one turnover), four steals, and a career-high three blocks, and went 5-for-5 at the free throw line in the win over Air Force.
"My team always has confidence in me and we always support each other," Harris said. "We're playing great basketball. We're making exciting plays. We're defending. We're doing everything that you want to see at a basketball game, and not only that, I think we can get better doing it. I don't think we've played our best basketball. I think we can still get better."
Fresno State (20-9, 11-5 MW) has now won four-straight games, which is the longest active winning streak in the Mountain West. The Bulldogs have locked up a first-round bye for the MW Championships and will open the tournament on Thursday, March 10 in the quarterfinals. Fresno State can earn the No. 2 seed for the conference tournament with a win over Colorado State and a Nevada win at Boise State on Wednesday.
The Bulldogs host the Colorado State Rams on Wednesday at 8 p.m. PT in their final home game of the season. There will be a special pre-game ceremony honoring the Bulldogs' three seniors: Harris, Julien Lewis and Cezar Guerrero.
All fans are also asked to wear black to match Fresno State, who will wear their black uniforms at home as part of a BLACKOUT promotion for the only time this season. The doors to the Save Mart Center will open early at 6 p.m. PT as former Bulldog football players currently in the NFL will be signing autographs for fans on the concourse. Tickets for Wednesday's home finale start at just $10.
"Be Bold." --- The flagship radio stations for Fresno State men's basketball are 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes.
