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BOZEMAN – Kendal Manual scored 19 points and Sayeed Pridgett added 15 points and seven rebounds to lead Montana past Montana State 59-54 Saturday for a sweep of the regular-season in-state series.
Jared Samuelson checked in with 10 points and seven rebounds for Montana (17-10, 13-3 in the Big Sky Conference), which led 28-20 at halftime. The cold-shooting Bobcats fell behind 49-35 on a Timmy Falls 3-pointer with 5:36 left in the game – Falls’ only field goal.
Harald Frey, who suffered a leg injury in MSU’s previous game, a loss to Portland State, started and scored 18 points for the Bobcats (14-13, 8-8). His old-fashioned three-point play brought the Cats to 53-49 with 2:05 left, before Montana responded.
First Derrick Carter-Hollinger put back a miss by Samuelson to make it 55-49; then, after Frey missed a 3-pointer, Manuel drained a jumper in the paint to put the Grizzlies up 57-49 with 47 seconds remaining.
It was the 19th win in the series in the last 20 games for the Griz.
Manuel shot 3-of-6 from the arc while making Montana coach Travis DeCuire a winner over MSU for the 11th time in 12 tries. He hit a critical three after MSU had drawn to 37-34 on a dunk by Amin Adamu. That plus a basket from Samuelson started a 12-1 run.
The senior out of Billings Skvyiew, transferred to Montana from Oregon State two seasons ago.
“It’s special I guess, being a Montana kid,” he said. “It’s what you live for, it’s what rivalries are all about and something I’ll never forget and I’m very thankful to be at Montana.”
Jubrille Belo added 11 points and five rebounds for the Bobcats. Amin Adamu checked in with 12 points and five boards.
Montana 59, Montana St. 54
MONTANA (17-10) — Carter-Hollinger 3-4 0-0 6, Samuelson 4-7 2-2 10, Falls 1-4 0-0 3, Manuel 8-16 0-0 19, Pridgett 7-13 1-7 15, Vazquez 0-2 2-2 2, Owens 0-1 0-0 0, Anderson 1-2 0-0 2, Egun 0-1 1-2 1, Selcuk 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 24-50 7-15 59.
MONTANA ST. (14-13) —Belo 3-5 5-8 11, Kirby 0-1 3-4 3, Ricketts 1-5 0-0 3, Adamu 6-15 0-0 12, Frey 4-13 9-10 18, Fernandez 3-7 0-0 7, Paulo 0-1 0-0 0, Bellach 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-48 17-22 54.
Halftime–Montana 28-20. 3-Point Goals–Montana 4-13 (Manuel 3-6, Falls 1-3, Egun 0-1, Pridgett 0-1, Samuelson 0-1, Vazquez 0-1), Montana St. 3-20 (Fernandez 1-3, Ricketts 1-5, Frey 1-6, Bellach 0-1, Paulo 0-1, Adamu 0-4). Fouled Out–Falls. Rebounds–Montana 31 (Samuelson, Pridgett 7), Montana St. 28 (Kirby 8). Assists–Montana 8 (Pridgett 2), Montana St. 8 (Kirby, Frey 3). Total Fouls–Montana 20, Montana St. 15. A–6,570 (8,455).