After averaging 24.5 points per game, including a near-triple-double vs. Idaho State, Sayeed Pridgett was a no-brainer to be named the Big Sky Conference Ready Nutrition Player of the Week, which was announced Tuesday. The recognition is Pridgett’s second of the season and fifth of his career.
Pridgett, who has been a leader all season, has ramped up his game over the past several weeks, leading Montana for scoring in each of the past five contests – all double-digit victories.
In a 72-37 victory over Weber State on Thursday, Pridgett kept pace with the Wildcats by himself, until he received rest over the final 10 minutes of the blowout victory. Midway through the second half, Pridgett had scored 25 points, compared to 27 for the entire Weber State roster.
Weber State’s 37 points were the fewest by a Montana opponent since 2010, and the fewest by a Big Sky foe since 1976.
Photo courtesy of Grizzly Sports Information.
Pridgett was even more dominant against Idaho State on Saturday, scoring 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting. The 24 points were impressive, but weren’t far off from the norm the senior has set for himself. Pridgett ranks third in the Big Sky with more than 20 points per contest.
More impressive than the 24 points were the 11 rebounds and nine assists – in addition to three steals. When Pridgett took a seat in the final minute of the 78-63 win, the senior was one assist shy of becoming the third Grizzly in program history to record a rare triple-double. In the end, he was directly accountable for nearly 60 percent of Montana’s points, including a personal 6-0 run midway through the second half after the Bengals had cut the score to 49-44. Montana led by double figures for the remainder of the contest.
Pridgett, who ranks ninth in school history for career scoring, is having an historic season on many levels. With three weeks remaining in the regular season, he is the only player to rank in the top five in Big Sky play for scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage and assists.
Montana has just one game this week, traveling to Bozeman for the second installment of the Brawl of the Wild. The Grizzlies enter the week with a 1.5-game lead over Eastern Washington and Northern Colorado atop the Big Sky standings.