Scouting Truman

The Bulldogs enter Wednesday night's game with a 3-0 record, after starting the season with wins over Hannibal-LaGrange (103-62), Trevecca Nazarene (80-62) and Kentucky Wesleyan (64-49).

    The team scores 82.3 points per game, while holding opponents to 57.7. They are shooting .459 from the floor overall and .400 from long range, hitting about eight threes a game. The Bulldogs hold a +13.4 rebounding margin over opponents, pulling down 44.7 rebounds per game.

    Two players average double figures for the Bulldogs. Courtney Strait leads the team with 16.3 ppg. She also adds 5.3 rebounds per game and  2.7 assists per game. Allie Norton chips in 13.7 ppg. She leads the team w ith nine threes made and hits a team leading 50 percent of her threes. Michalina Tomczak adds 9.3 ppg and leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game. Rachel Steinhoff is the team's point guard. She averages 3.3 assists per game and has a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio.        

Scouting Drury

The Panthers are 3-1. The team started the season 3-0 before a 87-79 loss to Washburn in Topeka on Saturday night (Nov. 22). The team also met another MIAA opponent in this young season, earning a 80-62 win over Southwest Baptist on November 18. 

    The Panthers average 81.0 ppg, earning a +10.3 scoring margin over opponents. They outrebound opponents 42.2 to 37.0 rpg. Drury is shooting .404 on the season and .351 from long range. The team has already made 100 free throws on the season, making 87 percent of its charity shots. 

    Annie Armstrong leads three players in double figures with 21.0 ppg. She has made 29-of-29 free throws on the season. Addy Roller adds 13.0 pppg and leads the team with just over four assists per game. Sanayika Shields averages a double-double with 10.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Paige Wilson is just under double figures w ith 9.5 ppg and is the leading three-point shooter, having made eight on the season. Shelby White is the fifth Panther starter and is also just under double figures with 9.3 ppg. She is the team's second-leading rebounder with 7.3 rpg. 

Scouting Rockhurst

Rockhurst is 1-2 so far in 2014-15, with both of its losses coming at the hands of MIAA teams. The Hawks lost to Missouri Southern in a Tournament in Joplin, 69-40, and to Missouri Western in St. Joe, 71-69. The team's win was over NAIA Evangel, 64-45. 

    Rockhurst scores 57.7 points per game, while allowing opponents 61.7. The team has been outrebounded by its opponents by just over 10 rebounds per game, 38.3 to 28.0 rpg. The Hawks shoot .370 overall and .316 from three-point land. They average 18.7 turnovers per game and 10.7 steals per game.

    Mary Dineen is the Hawks' leading scorer with 12.7 ppg. She is the team's leading three-point shooter, having made 6-of-11 threes on the year. Lauren Myers adds 10.7 ppg. Jill Myers does a lot for Rockhurst, as she leads the team in rebounds (6.0 rpg), assists (10)  and steals (12).  

Scouting Henderson State

Henderson State is 1-3 on the season and will play both Emporia State on November 25 and Texas A&M Kingsville on November 28 prior to playing the Gorillas on December 1. The Reddies have already played two conference games and lost both, to Southeastern Oklahoma State and East Central.

    The Reddies score 67.0 points per game, 12.0 ppg less than their opponents at 79.0 ppg. The team shoots .377 overall and .284 from three-point range. They do outrebound their opponents 39.0 to 34.5 rpg. Henderson State averages 21.9 turnovers per game.

    Aungelique Sledge leads the team with 14.8 ppg. Haleigh Henson adds 12.5 ppg and is the team's leading three-point shooter with 10 threes made on the season. Deidra McCoy is the Reddies' leading rebounder with 9.3 rebounds per game. She also leads the team in steals with six.

Scouting Pittsburg State

    The Gorillas are playing a true team game thus far this season, with many players stepping up to make big contributions. Three different players have led the team in scoring in the first five games, and two in rebounding. Six different players have scored in double figures.

    Pitt State has won each of its first five games by an average of 22.8 points per game, scoring an average of 80.6 ppg and holding opponents to 57.8 ppg. The Gorillas are hitting .481 from the floor and .329 from three-point range. Pitt State holds a slight rebounding margin over its opponents, 37.6 to 34.6. The Gorillas are averaging 14.0 turnovers per game, while dishing out 13.6 assists per game. 

    Three-time All-American Lizzy Jeronimus leads the Gorillas with h18.6 ppg. She is season in rebounding with 6.2 rebounds per game and shares the kead in assists with 2.4 apg. She is hitting .569 from the floor to start the season. Cathy Brugman adds 14.2 ppg and shares the lead in assists. She is the team's leading free throw shooter, having made 17-of-21 on the season. Kylie Gafford contributes 13.8 ppg and leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game. She also leads the team in steals with eight and blocks with 10. Mikaela Burgess is teh team's leading three-point shooter with eight on the season, five of which she made in the Gorillas win over then No. 10 Concordia.

PSU vs. Truman

Pitt State and Truman have a long history, as Truman is a former member of the MIAA. Pitt State leads the all-time series with Truman 29-11. The two teams have met regularly each season since 1990. Pitt State leads 17-4 in Pittsburg and 12-7 in Kirksville. The two teams have never met at a neutral site. The Gorillas have won each of the last five meetings. 

    Pitt State has had two long streaks of wins in the series. The Gorillas opened the series with eight straight wins from Jan. 14, 1990 to Feb. 10, 1996. The other long run for the Gorillas was seven wins from Jan. 18, 2003 to Jan. 14, 2006. The Bulldogs have only won back-to-back games twice in the series. The first time was on Feb. 15 and 23, 1999, with one win in each location. The second time was in 2007-08 as the Bulldogs took the game in Kirksville, 76-64, and in Pittsburg, 79-72.

    The biggest win in the series was a 62-point victory (97-35) by the Gorillas in Pittsburg on Feb. 22, 1993. Truman's biggest win was by 15 points in a 78-63 decision in Kirksville on Feb. 26, 2000.

    The most points scored in the series was a 104-102 Pitt State win on Jan .28, 1995 in Kirksville.

PSU vs. Drury

Pittsburg State and Drury have only met five times. Drury leads the series 4-1. The Gorillas won the first meeting between the two teams, 64-56, but the Panthers have won each of the last four meetings. The two teams have not played each other since December 16, 2006. Drury won that game 87-74 in Springfield.

PSU vs. Rockhurst

The Gorillas lead the all-time series with Rockhurst, 7-6. Pitt State leads 4-2 in Pittsburg. The series is tied 2-2 in Kansas City. Rockhurst leads at neutral sites, 1-2. 

    Pitt State has won each of the last four meetings between the two teams, dating back to Dec. 7, 2002. The two teams have not met since a 76-56 Gorilla win on November 22, 2005 in PIttsburg.

    The largest win in the series was a 22-point, 73-51, Pitt State win on December 7, 2002 in Kansas City.

PSU vs. Henderson State

Pitt State has a 8-1 record all-time against Henderson State. Pitt State leads 3-0 in PIttsburg and 5-0 at neutral sites. The Gorillas lost the one previous meeting in Arkadelphia. Pitt State won the last meeting between the two teams, a 76-56 win last season.

    The Gorillas won the first seven meetings in the series. The largest margin of victory was the 20-point win by Pitt State last season. 
 

In the Polls

    Pittsburg State has made a big jump in the polls to the top 10. Pitt State appears in the first regular season poll at No. 10.

    The Gorillas opened the season ranked No. 24 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 Preseason Poll. 

    Four Pitt State opponents were ranked in the top 25 to start the season, No. 3 Drury, No. 7 Emporia State, No. 10 Concordia St. Paul and No. 20 Central Missouri. Three additional opponents were receiving votes, Wingate, Washburn and Truman State.

    Currently Emporia State is No. 3, Drury, No. 7, Washburn, 18, and Central Missouri, 24. Truman State, Fort Hays State, Missouri Southern and Northeastern State are all receiving votes.

Up Next

The Gorillas will FINALLY get to play at home!! After playing their first nine games on the road, the Gorilla women will open the MIAA portion of the season at home on Saturday, December 6 at 1:30 p.m. against Northwest Missouri.