UCLA point guard Bryce Alford named Pac-12 Player of the Week

UCLA point guard Bryce Alford was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the first time in his career. He averaged 21.5 points in wins over Arizona and Arizona State, and hit a game-winning 3-pointer against the former. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff)

UCLA point guard Bryce Alford was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the first time in his career. He averaged 21.5 points in wins over Arizona and Arizona State, and hit a game-winning 3-pointer against the former. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff)

A few days after making one of the biggest shots of his life, Bryce Alford has a new career first: Pac-12 Player of the Week.

UCLA’s junior point guard earned the conference’s top weekly honor on Monday morning, after averaging 21.5 points on 55.2 percent shooting in wins over then-No. 7 Arizona and Arizona State. He hit late 3-pointers against both teams, doing so most dramatically with a game-winner over Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski.

The Bruins are now the only team to have two different players named the Pac-12 Player of the Week. Sophomore center Thomas Welsh earned the honor on Dec. 7, shortly after helping the team to an upset against then-No. 1 Kentucky.

At 2-2, UCLA is tied with Cal for fifth place in an increasingly unpredictable conference. Arizona is the only ranked Pac-12 team at No. 18, but will be without freshman guard Allonzo Trier (broken hand) for four to six weeks. Eight others from the league are ranked top-50 in RPI.

The Bruins return to Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday at 8 p.m. against USC. The Trojans have stormed out to a surprising 3-1 start in conference play, but remain the only team that has yet to defeat third-year UCLA coach Steve Alford.