Eric Harris
Guard, Minnesota, Ht. 6-3, Wt. 200
High School: St. Raymond’s High School
Birthdate: July 26, 1976 (New York, NY)
BACKGROUND
Eric Harris played four years for Clem Haskins at the University of Minnesota. He helped guide the Golden Gophers on its Final Four run as a junior. Harris was named one of the top-five on-the-ball defenders by Sports Illustrated. Harris was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten as a senior and Third Team All-Big Ten as a junior.
Harris averaged 13.6 points per game and 4.1 assists per game his senior season. He had a dream come true when Minnesota beat Marquette to advance to NIT Semi-Finals at Madison Square Garden. The New York native’s steal against Penn State’s Joe Crispin late in the NIT championship game sealed the victory for the Golden Gophers. Harris hit some big three-pointers as a senior, especially in the season’s final month. He led the team with 51 three-pointers and hit 39 percent of his three-point attempts throughout the season. Against Colorado State, Harris hit 5-of-7 three-pointers to lead the team. In the upset of top-seeded Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament, Harris was on fire. He converted on 10-of-12 field goals and 4-of-6 three-pointers to tally a career-high 29 points. He hit 7-of-13 three-pointers in the tournament and 17-of-32 field goals overall for an average of 18.3 points per game. Harris finished the season with 475 points which puts him 24th on Minnesota’s all-time scoring list. . An excellent playmaker as well, he led Minnesota with 144 assists (4.1 apg) and was third in overall scoring at 13.6 points per game. Harris had an excellent 433-214 career assist-to-turnover ratio. His 433 career assists put him second on the all-time list, trailing Arriel McDonald who ended his career at 547.
Harris was the unsung hero of the 1996-97 team. He ran the offense and keyed the defensive pressure for the Golden Gophers. A tremendous defender, he faced some of the best players in the nation every week. Harris finished second in the Big Ten in steals as a junior, averaging 2.1 per game and finished the year with 72 (2.1 spg) which was third in Big Ten. His 194 career steals puts him second on the Minnesota all-time list behind Melvin Newbern who had 215 from 1987-90.
High School: St. Raymond’s High School
Birthdate: July 26, 1976 (New York, NY)
Eric Harris played four years for Clem Haskins at the University of Minnesota. He helped guide the Golden Gophers on its Final Four run as a junior. Harris was named one of the top-five on-the-ball defenders by Sports Illustrated. Harris was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten as a senior and Third Team All-Big Ten as a junior.
Harris averaged 13.6 points per game and 4.1 assists per game his senior season. He had a dream come true when Minnesota beat Marquette to advance to NIT Semi-Finals at Madison Square Garden. The New York native’s steal against Penn State’s Joe Crispin late in the NIT championship game sealed the victory for the Golden Gophers. Harris hit some big three-pointers as a senior, especially in the season’s final month. He led the team with 51 three-pointers and hit 39 percent of his three-point attempts throughout the season. Against Colorado State, Harris hit 5-of-7 three-pointers to lead the team. In the upset of top-seeded Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament, Harris was on fire. He converted on 10-of-12 field goals and 4-of-6 three-pointers to tally a career-high 29 points. He hit 7-of-13 three-pointers in the tournament and 17-of-32 field goals overall for an average of 18.3 points per game. Harris finished the season with 475 points which puts him 24th on Minnesota’s all-time scoring list. . An excellent playmaker as well, he led Minnesota with 144 assists (4.1 apg) and was third in overall scoring at 13.6 points per game. Harris had an excellent 433-214 career assist-to-turnover ratio. His 433 career assists put him second on the all-time list, trailing Arriel McDonald who ended his career at 547.
Harris was the unsung hero of the 1996-97 team. He ran the offense and keyed the defensive pressure for the Golden Gophers. A tremendous defender, he faced some of the best players in the nation every week. Harris finished second in the Big Ten in steals as a junior, averaging 2.1 per game and finished the year with 72 (2.1 spg) which was third in Big Ten. His 194 career steals puts him second on the Minnesota all-time list behind Melvin Newbern who had 215 from 1987-90.
