Cal State Northridge sophomore Stephan Hicks (Thousand Oaks, Calif./National College Prep) earned Big West Men's Basketball Player of the Week accolades after being selected the Most Outstanding Player of the NUCDF Challenge Tournament.

The 6-6 guard/forward led the Matadors to an impressive 5-0 record for the week, including four wins in four days at the NUCDF Challenge.  He averaged 18.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 54.2 (32 of 59) percent from the floor and 84.4 (27 of 32) percent at the foul line.

After contributing 19 points and eight rebounds in a 96-79 home win against Eastern Washington Monday, Hicks proceeded to lead the NUCDF Challenge field in scoring (75 points), scoring average (18.8 ppg), field goals made (25) and free throws made (24).

The four wins – host San Diego (74-71), Siena (68-64), Tulsa (92-76) and Northern Kentucky (69-58) – catapulted the Matadors to a perfect 6-0 on the season.  It represents CSUN's best start to a season since the 1981-82 team began 9-0 and is the program's best start ever since moving to Division I in 1990-91.

Hicks began the tournament with one of his top collegiate performances, scoring 25 points and adding eight rebounds with a career-high seven steals in the three-point win over the Toreros.  He was just one point short of his career high and posted the third-best shooting effort for a game in school history by knocking down 9-of-10 shots.  The seven swipes also marked the fifth-best single-game effort in CSUN history.

Hicks followed that effort with the first of two double-doubles as he notched 20 points and 10 rebounds against Siena, while totaling 14 points and 10 boards in the finale versus Northern Kentucky.  He had 16 points and eight rebounds to go along with a 7-for-7 effort at the charity stripe in the Tulsa victory.

The 2011-12 Big West Freshman of the Year is off to another sizzling start to this year's campaign.  In addition to ranking fifth in Big West scoring (17.3 ppg) and tied for sixth in rebounds (8.5 rpg), he is shooting 55.6 (35 of 63) percent from the field and sank 31-of-36 (.861) free throw attempts.

Others nominated: Chris Eversley (Cal Poly); Kwame Vaughn (Cal State Fullerton); Corey Hawkins (UC Davis); Michael Wilder (UC Irvine); Vander Joaquim (Hawaii)