Complete Notes in PDF Format

PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will travel to Canyon, Texas, to take part in the four-team West Texas A&M University Thanksgiving Shootout Friday and Saturday (Nov. 29-30).

The Gorillas will face Eastern New Mexico University at 2:30 p.m. (CST) Friday before taking on the host school, West Texas A&M, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Records
Pitt State enters the tournament on a two-game winning streak after sweeping a pair of games in the Pitt State Classic last Friday and Saturday (Nov. 22-23) at John Lance Arena. PSU defeated NAIA members Bethany (108-77) and Avila (96-82). The wins helped the Gorillas improve to 2-2 on the young season.

Eastern New Mexico is 2-1 on the season heading into a Tuesday matchup with Lubbock Christian. The Greyhounds, who posted a 12-15 record a year ago, opened the season with a loss to Missouri Southern, 68-65. Since then ENMSU has defeated the University of Southwest, 114-62, and Lubbock Christian University, 84-79.

West Texas is 2-2 on the season entering a Monday night contest with Wayland Baptist. The Buffs, who posted a 18-10 record last season, have dropped decisions to Colorado State-Pueblo (71-55) and the No. 1 team in DII Metro State (65-50).  WTAMU has defeated Newman (84-76) and Oklahoma Panhandle State (65-58).

The Coaches
Pittsburg State's Kevin Muff begins his fourth season leading the Gorillas. Muff (Kansas State, '86) became the Gorillas' 14th all-time head coach on Apr. 5, 2010, after spending 12 seasons at Cloud County Community College, where he helped the Thunderbirds to an average of 21 wins in each of the last five seasons.

He has a 50-39 (.562) record in his short tenure with the Gorillas.  This will be his second meeting against Eastern New Mexico and his first against West Texas A&M. He is 1-0 against the Greyhounds.

Andrew Helton enters his fourth year as head coach of ENMSU. Helton (Miami, '92) has amassed a 41-44 (.482) mark leading the Greyhounds.

Rick Cooper enters his 21st year as head coach of the Buffs. Cooper (Wayland Baptsit, '81) has notched a 539-238 (.670)  career record leading WTAMU.

Series History
This will be the third all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Greyhounds in a series that dates back to the 2004 season.

Pitt State holds 2-0 advantage in the series. PSU defeated Eastern New Mexico, 77-71, when the schools met in the South Central Regional Challenge on Nov. 11, 2011, at San Antonio, Texas.

PSU and the Buffs will meet for the fifth time in history Saturday. The series dates all the way back to 1941.

The Gorillas and Buffs have split their previous four meetings in the series, but PSU notched a 73-59 victory the last time the two squads met on Nov. 17, 2006, 73-59.

PSU on the Road
Pitt State has compiled an 11-24 (.314) record in road games during the past four seasons, including an 0-2 mark this season.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State enters the tournament action with three players averaging in double figures on the season: sophomore guard Jake Bullard (21.0 ppg), junior guard Devon Branch (20.0 ppg) and senior guard Sam Pugh is adding 12.3 ppg.

Bullard (6-5, 180) is coming off a 21-point performance in Pitt State's victory over Avila on Saturday (Nov. 23). The Cleora, Okla., native also scored 27 points against Bethany last Friday (Nov. 22).

Bullard is shooting 67.4 percent from the floor (29-for-43) and also averaging 5.3 rebounds per game in the early goings this year.

Branch scored 20 points in the Gorillas season opener against Newman on Nov. 13 before exiting the game with a knee injury.

The Aberdeen, Md., native is expected to return to the Gorillas lineup after missing three games.

Branch transferred to Pitt State last January from the University of Oregon. He did not play for the Ducks, but he averaged 22 points per game as a sophomore at Cloud County Community College in 2011, leading the Jayhawk Conference in scoring.

Branch posted 30 points and 16 rebounds in the Gorillas' exhibition loss to Kansas State on Nov. 1. He also scored a game-high 27 points on Oct. 29 in an exhibition loss ot the University of Kansas.

Pugh (6-0, 180) is averaging 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and a team-leading 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. The Branson, Mo., native tallied 16 points and eight assists against Avila and 12 points with a career-best 10 dimes against Bethany, recording his first career double-double.

Freshman guard Josiah Gustafson is averaging just below double-digits with 9.8 points per game. The Omaha, Neb. native tallied 15 points against Bethany last Friday.

Junior forward Alex Williams is chipping in with 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Ethan Cordray (7.3 ppg), junior guard/forward Connor Kjer (7.0 ppg), freshman guard Trevor Gregory (6.8 ppg) and senior guard/forward Terrell Eaddy (6.5 ppg) are all averaging over 6.5 points per contest.

As a team, the Gorillas are shooting 53.6 percent from the field (128-239)and 38.3 percent from 3-point range (31-81). Pitt State also is shooting 70.9 percent from the free throw line (73-103).

Pitt State has averaged 16.0 turnovers per game.

The Gorillas opponents have converted 43.0 percent of their shots from the floor (113-263), including 36.2 percent (34-94) from beyond the arc. PSU's opponents are shooting 71.3 percent from the charity stripe (72-101).

Scouting the Greyhounds
The Greyhounds will take a 2-1 record into their game with Lubbock Christian Tuesday night.

Rodney Blackmon leads a trio of senior guards averaging over 15 points per contest. Blackmon averages 19.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists through three games. Devone Davis has tallied 16 points and a team-high six rebounds per game in his two games on the floor. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native also leads the Greyhounds with nine steals. Rafael Love rounds out ENMU's three top scorers. The Woodland Hills, Calif., native chips in with 15.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Senior forward Cornelius Cammock and sophomore guard Deyton De La Cerda average 8.7 and 7.0 points per game, respectively.

Collectively, Eastern New Mexico has averaged 87.7 points, while only giving up 69.7 points per game. ENMSU is shooting .432 (86-199) from the field, including .425 (31-73) from three-point territory. The Greyhounds shoot .750 (60-80) from the charity stripe.

Scouting the Buffs
The Buffs are currently 2-2 entering a Monday night contest against Wayland Baptist.

Junior guard Tez Dumars leads WTAMU averaging 12.8 points through four games. The Garland, Texas, native is shooting 41 percent (16-39) from the field. Senior guard Dimir Ferguson adds 11.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest. Junior forward Antijuan Ball is almost averaging a double-double with 9.8 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds. David Duncan chips in with 9.3 points and 5.8 rebounds so far this season.

As a team, the Buffs has averaged 63.5 points, while surrendering 65.3 points per game. West Texas A&M is shooting .450 (99-220) from the field, including .319 (22-69) from beyond the arc. WTAMU is shooting .576 (34-59) from the free throw line.

Pitt State Probable Starters
    F    4    Josiah Gustafson, 6-6, 190, Fr., Omaha, Neb.
    F    24    Terrell Eaddy, 6-5, 205, Sr., Bronx, N.Y.
    F    32    Trevor Gregory, 6-7, 235, Fr., Lee's Summit, Mo.
    G    1    Jake Bullard, 6-5, 190, So., Cleora, Okla.
    G    21    Sam Pugh, 6-0, 180, Jr., Branson, Mo.

Eastern New Mexico Probable Starters
    G    1    Larry McLin, 5-7, 147, So., Johnson, Kan.
    G    2    Idris Idris, 6-5, 195, Sr., San Diego, Calif.
    G    3    Dwight Abad, 5-9, 160, Sr., Union City, Calif.
    G    30    Nathan Coleman, 6-4, 176, Jr., Oceanside, Calif.
    G    34    Johnathan Bledsoe, 6-1, 195, Fr., Gilbert, Ariz.

West Texas A&M Probable Starters
    F    11    Dennis Hardwell, 6-5, 200, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif
    F    24    Cornelius Cammock, 6-5, 225, Sr., Austin, Texas
    G    1    Rodney Blackmon, 5-11, 155, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.
    G    4    Rafael Love, 6-4, 200, Sr., Woodland Hills, Calif.
    G    5    Devone Davis, 6-1, 195, Sr., Brooklyn, N.Y.