SEMO men’s basketball guard Chris Harris has established himself as one of the key members in the Redhawks’ weekly gameplan. The senior’s shooting ability and prowess on defense has put him at the top of the team’s statistics.

Harris has played in 23 out of 24 games this season and has started 21 of those games. He has amassed a total of 700 minutes played, only trailing sophomore guard Phillip Russell, who has 725 minutes played in 23 games.

A rare example where a player commits to his school for his whole collegiate career, Harris has made his mark on the program. His time as a Redhawk has allowed him to have a complete understanding of how the program is run. He has also been a part of the program as it has risen from the bottom of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) to contending for a regular season title.

“He’s kind of like a unicorn. He’s an outlier. You don’t see many kids being at schools for four years. He’s seen it before and he’s seen it to where we are now. To see the progress and the growth of the program, he’s been a part of all those things.” head coach Brad Korn said.

Harris has proven himself to be a force on the court in his senior campaign. He has placed himself with league leaders in offense and rebounding in the OVC. He is 13th in points with 314. He is also 13th in 3-point shots made with 46. On the defensive side of the ball, Harris is 12th in the league in defensive rebounds with 87.

Harris’ consistency has allowed the Redhawks to play their way into a tie for first place with the Morehead State Eagles as the regular season winds down in February. With the OVC Tournament coming up in March, his leadership on the court allows the team to be in a position to win every game and claim the top seed in the tournament.

“I wouldn’t say he’s a loud vocal leader, but he’s always going to tell you what to do and where to go,” freshman forward Adam Larson said.

Along with being one of the best players in the OVC, Harris is second on the Redhawks in scoring, 3-point shots made, defensive rebounds and total rebounds. He said he knows every year comes with its own challenges, and he is teaching his teammates to persevere through the long season.

“I’m stepping up on being the leader that my guys need,” Harris said about his role this year. “There’s ups and downs to the game and I think I’ve done a pretty good job just trying to balance all that and still being able to perform.”

Late into the season, teams may start to wear down from months of practices and games. However, the Redhawks have seemingly hit their stride, as they have won four games in a row. Teams at the bottom of the OVC are looking to play spoiler against the Redhawks. They know they have to keep up their level of play in order to remain in the top spot.

“Chris has to continue to be the guy that he’s meant to be, rock solid and consistent,” coach Korn said. “That’s what we're looking for from all our guys. We’ve got to continue to be who we are and really just try to find a way in the next 26 days to get a little bit better. We don’t have to become brand new, we just have to be very solid and consistent.”

With the OVC Tournament looming on March 1, Harris and the Redhawks are looking to claim the regular season championship and earn some rest days before the tournament. Winning the regular season championship will mean the Redhawks’ first game of the tournament will be on Friday, March 3.

The Redhawks will play two games on the road, at Tennesee Tech on February 4 and at Tennesee State on February 7, before returning to the Show Me Center to host Morehead State on February 11.