Senior forward Kayte Christensen was named the Big West Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, the third such award she has gleaned in her career at UCSB.

Christensen annihilated her previous career high in points by notching 36 points in a 105-60 mutilation of Cal State Northridge on Sunday while going over the prestigious 1,000-point barrier.

Christensen went over the mark on a four-foot fade-away jumper with almost 14 minutes remaining in the first half.

The Alturas, Calif., native’s previous career high was 23 points against Idaho on Feb. 25, 2001. Christensen also enjoyed scoring the second-most points in a single game in the history of the Gauchos’ program. Former Santa Barbara point guard Stacy Clinesmith also reached the mark in the 1999-2000 season. The 36 points are also the most scored by any individual player in the Big West.

Christensen’s 13 field goals were one shy of the school record, shared by three different players, most recently Erin Alexander in 1996. In that game on Dec. 19, Alexander burst for a team-record 40 points. Alexander needed 24 shots, however, to tie the school record whereas Christensen needed only 15.

Christensen also grabbed 14 rebounds in the contest. The senior scored 14 points and grabbed nine boards in the conference-opening thrashing of Idaho last Thursday.

-Nexus Staff Report