‘Eaters’ Wise repeats

UC Irvine sophomore Eric Wise has been named Big West Conference Player of the Week in men’s basketball for the second consecutive week.

In two games last week, the 6-foot-5 swing man averaged 26 points and seven rebounds. He also shot 65.6% from the field.

Wise scored a game-high 21 points, 17 in the second half, in a 57-55 conference-opening win over visiting UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. He was eight for 11 from the field, including six for seven in the second half.

He chipped in seven rebounds, three steals and two assists to help UCI win its Big West opener for the ninth time in the last 10 years.

Wise, who earned second-team all-conference honors as a freshman, scored a career-high 31 points in a 78-68 loss at San Jose State on Dec. 28, hitting 13 of 21 field-goal attempts.

Wise leads the Anteaters in scoring (15.8 per game), rebounding (5.8) and assists (3.2) this season.

UCI (8-6, 2-0 in the Big West) visits Cal State Northridge Thursday at 7 p.m.

— From staff reports