A hole was made in men’s basketball’s back court with the recent departure of freshman guard Akeem Springs, but that hole has been filled by redshirt junior guard Antone Christian, who has stepped up his level of play on the court.

Over the course of the last five games, Christian has seen his production go up in minutes and points. He is averaging 11.6 minutes per game and is averaging six points per game.

“[I’ve] pretty much just kept on doing what I’ve been doing,” Christian said. “[I just] get in the gym, get extra shots up, and whenever my number was called, I decided to step up and do what I had to do to try and help the team get over the hump.”

Coach Mark Montgomery believes Christian’s strong play of late has to do with asserting himself when he is out on the floor.

“I think A.C. is just coming out aggressive,” Montgomery said. “He comes out aggressive on both ends of the floor. Usually he lets his defense get him going, but the good thing is he’s been able to hit a couple shots and be a spark for us on offense.”

Christian has become a reliable 3-point option for the Huskies, as over the last five games he has hit eight of 19 3-pointers, shooting 42 percent. On the season, he is the Huskies’ strongest 3-point shooter, shooting 38 percent from behind the arc.

“That’s pretty much been my game since I’ve been in college,” Christian said. “I’m pretty much a designated shooter, so what I try to do is keep fine tuning it and whenever I get my opportunities in rhythm, I go ahead and take the shot.”

Christian’s biggest game since seeing increased action came in a 56-52 loss to Ball State, where he scored a season-high 14 points while going four of nine from behind the 3-point line.

While Christian has made strong contributions on the court as of late, his attitude is the biggest thing he brings to the team.

“His leadership is valuable because he brings it every day,” Montgomery said. “He brings it every day to practice. He is the typical student-athlete, he’s taking care of his business in the classroom…and when it’s time to practice and play hard, he goes out there and does it. But also, he has respect from his teammates because he’d do anything for them. He’s just that kind of guy that ultimately puts his teammates before him.”