Portland State's Kyle Richardson has been named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week after leading the Vikings to a pair of victories and a berth in the Big Sky Tournament last week.

Richardson scored 41 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and blocked four shots as the Vikings knocked off first-place Weber State on Thursday and then beat Idaho State on Saturday. Richardson shot 20-28 from the field (.714) in the two games.

In a 66-59 win over Weber State, the 6-7 forward scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots. He hit 6-9 shots from the field and made his only free throw.

Richardson scored a career-high 28 points, tied a career high with 14 rebounds and blocked two shots in a 78-74 overtime win against Idaho State. He made 14-19 shots from the field in the game and had the tying dunk with 13 seconds left to send the game to overtime. Richardson then scored eight points with seven rebounds in the overtime.

For the season, Richardson averages 9.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, shoots .596 from the field and has blocked 30 shots. He is the second Viking this season to earn Big Sky Conference Player of the Week (Tim Douglas, Dec. 10).

Richardson's play has led the Vikings to a 16-13 record. PSU, whose post-season fate was in question heading into the final week of the regular season, won both games, finished 11-9 in the Big Sky and took the fifth seed in the seven-team post-season tournament.

Portland State opens Big Sky Tournament play this Thursday in Ogden, UT against fourth-seeded Montana (17-12, 12-8). 

(The Big Sky Conference will release its All-Conference teams and post-season awards this afternoon)

The Big Sky Conference Tournament (all time listed are Mountain)
First Round - Thursday, March 13
Hosted by Weber State University, Dee Events Center, Ogden, Utah
2:05 p.m. - No. 7 Sacramento State (14-15, 10-10) vs. No. 2 North Dakota (15-15, 12-8)
4:30 p.m. - No. 6 Northern Colorado (17-12, 11-9) vs. No. 3 Northern  Arizona (15-16, 12-8)
7 p.m. - No. 5 Portland State (16-13, 11-9) vs. No. 4 Montana (17-12, 12-8)

Semifinals - Friday, March 14
4:30 p.m. - Highest Remaining Seeds vs 2nd Highest Remaining Seed
7 p.m. - Lowest Remaining Seed at No. 1 Weber State (17-11, 14-6)

Final - Saturday, March 15, televised on ESPNU
6 p.m. Mountain - Semifinal Winners

The Big Sky Tournament Champion advances to the NCAA Tournament

All games available at online at www.WatchBigSky.com.
Live audio and stats available at www.GoViks.com.