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PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The Gorillas opened the 2012-13 season with the Pittsburg State Classic two weeks ago and haven’t played another game since. The Gorillas are anxious to take the court again and face two talented NAIA teams in Evangel and Avila in the MSSU Thanksgiving Classic. Please note games times are 5 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday, not 5:30 and 1:30 as listed on the schedule cards. Please always check Pittstategorillas.com for the most up-to-date information on all Pitt State Athletics.
Scouting Evangel
Evangel is 0-5 on the year, though three of their losses have come to top-25 ranked NAIA teams, including No. 10 Oklahoma City, No. 9 Lee and No. 23 William Woods. All of the games have been decided by six points or less, except the season opening loss to Oklahoma City.
The team ranks second in NAIA Division I in free throw percentage and eighth in three-point percentage. The Crusaders average 53.2 point and 32.6 rebounds per game. They hit at a .388 clip overall and .377 from three point range.
Sierra McSpadden is the team’s top player, averaging 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. She leads the team with a .516 overall shooting percentage and also has made a team-high seven threes on the year. She is 18-for-19 from the charity stripe and has eight steals in the first five games. Emily Akins is the second-leading scorer with 11.3 points per game. She and Amanda Landolt have each hit five threes on the season. Landolt leads the team in assists with 15. Jessica Rumfelt is the second leading rebounder with 6.0 boards per game.
Scouting Avila
After making the round of 16 in the NAIA Tournament last season, Avila has struggled in the early season. The team went 0-5 (and also lost an exhibition game against Division II Rockhurst) before winning its most recent game against Ottawa University, 60-51.
The team is shooting only .392 from the field and .178 from three point range. The Eagles average 51.1 points and 37.7 rebounds per game.
Courtney Gimlin leads the team with 12.2 points per game. She has hit nine of the teams 18 threes on the season and has 10 assists and 10 steals in the first six games. Cassie Bruner also averages double figures with 10.8 points per game and is the team’s second-leading rebounder with 7.0 rebounds per game. Bruner has gone to the line most often this season for the Eagles. She has hit 31 of 42 attempts for a .738 free throw shooting percentage.Rebekah Carpenter is the team’s leading rebounder with 7.3 boards per game. Samantha York has hit six threes this season. Jackie Wacha leads the team in assists (16) and steals (11). She is also 10-for-10 from the charity stripe.
Scouting Pittsburg State
The Gorillas have only played two games this season, but came away with big wins in both, a 97-51 win over Southwest Minnesota State and a 80-60 win over Mary (N.D.). Mary was receiving votes in the WBCA pre-season coaches poll. Both wins are also important because they are in-region wins.
Pitt State has had two weeks off since its first action of the season and the team in anxious to get back on the court. The Gorillas averaged 88.5 points and 39.0 rebounds per game in their first two games. The team shot .530 overall and .371 from three point range. it hit 75 percent of its shots from the charity stripe. PSU’s defense was able to hold its opponents to 55.5 points per game and force 45 turnovers from its two opponents.
Lizzy Jeronimus opened her sophomore campaign averaging 19.0 points and 5.0 rebounds. She also added a team leading six assists. Morgan Westhoff added 11.5 points per game, as she hit 9-of-17 shots from the floor overall and a team-leading 4-of-9 from three-point range. Lauren Brown is the third Gorilla averaging double figures with 11.0 ppg. She also has 5.0 rpg and a team leading four blocked shots. Drew Roberts and Hailey Roderique are just under double figures with 9.5 and 9.0 points per game, respectively. Roderique is also the team’s leading rebounder with 5.5 rebounds and has a team-leading seven steals on the year.
PSU vs. Evangel
The Gorillas and Crusaders have met 12 times and Pitt State leads the series 11-1. The first meeting between the two teams on January 22, 1976 resulted in the Gorillas’ only loss, 62-73. Since then, the Gorillas have won 11 straight games with the last meeting a 85-81 Pitt State win on November 29, 2008.
Prior to the last three meetings, the game had always been decided by 10 points or more. The last three games have been by six points or less. The largest win by either team was 44 points, 96-52, by Pitt State on Nov. 29, 1983.
Pitt State has never lost a game to Evangel at home or at a neutral site. The last two meetings between the two teams were both in Joplin.
PSU vs. Avila
Pitt State is a 5-0 all-time against Avila. The last time the two teams met was Dec. 14, 2002. Pitt State won the game 92-48, a 44 point margin of victory, the largest in the series between the two teams. Pitt State leads 2-0 in Pittsburg, 2-0 in Kansas City and 1-0 at neutral sites. Pitt State has never won a game over the Eagles by less than 15 points and average margin of victory is 29.0 points.
Up Next
The Gorilla men and women will play their first double header of the season on Wednesday, November 28 in non-conference games against William Jewell.
In the Polls
Pitt State holds its No. 3 ranking in the first week of the season after opening the season 2-0.
Week 1: No. 3
