Pruitt Named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week

CHAMPAIGN, ILL.--Illinois senior center Shaun Pruitt has been named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office this afternoon. Pruitt earns his first career weekly honor after averaging a double-double last week. He shares the award with Minnesota's Dan Coleman.

Pruitt averaged 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds over three games last week. He was the Illini's top scorer and rebounder in all three contests, recording 11 points and eight rebounds vs. Western Carolina, 24 points and 15 rebounds vs. Miami (OH), and 14 points and eight rebounds vs. Missouri. His 24 points against Miami tied his career high, (first set Dec. 8 vs. Arizona), while his double-double against the Redhawks was his second of the season and 11th of his career. Pruitt’ s top moment of the week came against Missouri, when he scored the game-winning basket off an offensive rebound with 35 seconds left, capping off an undefeated career for the Illini senior in the Braggin’ Rights game. Pruitt, who leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounding this season, grabbed an average of 4.3 offensive boards on the week and shot 52.6 percent from the field.

Pruitt leads the Illini in scoring and rebounding on the season, averaging 13.2 points and 8.4 rebounds. He is Illinois' first Big Ten Player of the Week since James Augustine on Dec. 5, 2005.