Former Holy Cross guard Joe Pridgen is making his presence known at UNCW
Jennifer Toland
Telegram & Gazette
UNCW's Joe Pridgen drives to the basket against Delaware at Trask Coliseum in Wilmington, N.C., Saturday, January 23, 2021. [MATT BORN/STARNEWS]
Joe Pridgen expected to be sitting out this season after transferring to the University of North Carolina-Wilmington from Holy Cross, where he had an outstanding freshman year, but the NCAA’s blanket waiver, announced in December, allowed transfers to play immediately in 2020-21, and Pridgen has had an instant impact on his new team.
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Pridgen is averaging 11.3 points on 55 percent shooting and a team-best 8.4 rebounds. He has made 11 starts, posted five double-doubles and scored a season-high 19 points in a win over Norfolk State in December.
“I think it’s been a good teaching experience,” Pridgen said during a phone interview Tuesday morning. “I came in thinking I was going to redshirt. Then I got thrown into the mix, and at that point, I just wanted to help any way possible, whether that be scoring, rebounding, whatever my coach needed me to do.
“Being able to make an impact kind of proved a lot to myself,” Pridgen said, “what I’m able to do and how far I can really take basketball.”
Pridgen, a Winchendon resident who played for Murdock High’s varsity team as an eighth grader before transferring to the Winchendon School for two years and then to Governor’s Academy, led Holy Cross in scoring (17.4 ppg), rebounding (6.8 rpg) and field goal percentage (55.8) during the Crusaders’ three-win 2019-20 season.
He started 29 of 30 games and scored in double figures 24 times. His 521 points were second most by a freshman in HC and Patriot League history.
Pridgen was the Patriot League and ECAC Rookie of the Year.
He entered the transfer portal last April and announced in May he would be heading to UNCW.
Pridgen saw the UNCW campus for the first time when he arrived in late August, but hasn’t had the chance to explore it much as all of his classes have been remote. Still, he is enjoying his new surroundings.
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“It’s been great,” Pridgen said, “great weather, it’s a different culture, a lot more diverse. The guys on my team are really cool, my coaches are cool.”
The Seahawks, who play in the Colonial Athletic Association, started 6-3 under first-year coach Takayo Siddle, but have dropped five of their last six. The program is currently paused due to COVID-19-related protocols. All of UNCW’s games this week were postponed as well as its Feb. 20-21 series at Northeastern.
UNCW guard Joe Pridgen passes against Hofstra at Trask Coliseum in Wilmington, N.C., Saturday, January 30, 2021. The teams return to Trask Coliseum at 1 p.m. Sunday. [MATT BORN/STARNEWS]
“It’s been kind of hard,” Pridgen said of the disruptions, “but you just put your head down and try to get through it.”
Even though last season was difficult for Holy Cross, Pridgen said he has drawn from the experience.
“I feel like I learned more how to win,” Pridgen said. “Even though that sounds crazy coming from last year, but I learned how to win just by helping my team. Last year, being a freshman, I didn’t know what to expect. Once I got the spotlight put on me, I started putting a lot of pressure on myself, but this year, I kind of just let go, and I’ve just been focusing on how can I help the team, how can I make us better, how can I improve myself.”
Pridgen’s younger brother, Quentin, is having a standout season at Oakmont Regional. The junior shooting guard is averaging 21.2 points per game to lead Central Mass. Division 3.
“He put a lot of work in over the summer,” Pridgen said. “I’m excited to see where he goes over the next few years.”