Irvine, CA—The Big West announced today that UC Riverside guard Jaylen Bland is the conference's Men's Basketball Player of the Week for games played from February 16-22.

The junior paced the Highlanders in scoring in both games as UC Riverside improved to 7-6 in Big West action and moved into sole possession of fifth place, a half game behind third place UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State.

Bland scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half of Thursday's 64-62 win versus UC Santa Barbara, helping the Highlanders end a four-game slide against the Gauchos.  He knocked down four three-pointers in eight attempts and seven of nine from the free throw line while adding seven rebounds and a pair of steals.

In Saturday's 48-44 victory over Cal Poly, Bland scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots. He provided two clutch free throws with 10 seconds remaining to ice the game, and his stellar defense helped UC Riverside hold the Mustangs without a point for a 10-and-a-half minute stretch in the second half.

Bland hit another four treys against Cal Poly to give him 86 for the season, placing him 15 short of the single-season school record of 100 held by Maurice Pullum.

Bland is the second member of the Highlanders to win the Big West Player of the Week Award this season. Taylor Johns earned the honor on December 8, 2014. This marks just the second time in the Highlanders' Big West history that two different UC Riverside players were named Player of the Week in the same season. The first came during the 2008-09 campaign when Javon Borum and Kyle Austin each picked up one award each.

View all-time list of UC Riverisde Big West Player of the Week honorees.