HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Pittsburg State senior Lizzy Jeronimus set the PSU and MIAA record for career free throws made on Tuesday (Dec. 16) as the Gorillas ran to a 73-40 win over BYU Hawaii in the first day of the Maliki Sports Tours Oahu Classic.
With 5:12 left in the game, Jeronimus was fouled and stepped to the line to make two free throws, her seventh and eighth of the game and numbers 563 and 564 of her career. The first tied the school and MIAA record set by PSU Hall of Famer and All-American Leslie Dudley, who wore the Gorilla uniform from 1997-2000. The second set the new record.
Jeronimus also reached another milestone in the game as she scored her 1,800th career point on a free throw with 6:17 to go in the first half. A layup with 18:28 left in the game pushed Jeronimus ahead of another PSU Hall of Fame Honoree, Jenni Miller, into second place on Pitt State's career scoring list. Miller scored 1809 points in her career as a Gorilla. Jeronimus finished the game with 21 points and now has 1813 career points and needs 234 more to pass Dudley for the career scoring record.
Kylie Gafford also scored in double figures for the Gorillas with 10. Pitt State's bench was especially important in the game. Elena Flott came off the bench to lead the team with six rebounds. Hadyn Herlocker added six steals and a spark off the bench when the Gorillas were down early.
Pitt State scored first, but the Seasiders went on an 11-2 run to take an eight-point, 13-5, lead with 16:12 to go in the first half. Pitt State went on a 9-2 run lasting nearly four minutes to come within one, 15-14, with just under 11 minutes left in the first period. Finally, back-to-back layups by Jeronimus and Cathy Brugman gave the Gorillas the lead again, 20-19, with 8:00 on the clock. Pitt State did not relinquish the lead again after that point. The team's first double digit lead of the game came on a pair of Jeronimus free throws with 4:24 left in the first half. Hailey Roderique banked in a three at the buzzer to send the Gorillas to the locker room up 17, 44-27, at the half.
The Gorillas allowed BYU Hawaii only 13 second half points, as the team played fast a furious offense and careful defense. The team lead by 21 early in the second half on a layup by Gafford. The team's largest lead, 33 points, came as Mikaela Burgess scored the final points of the game with 1:02 to go. The Gorillas did not allow the Seasiders and points from the floor from 6:49 on.
The Gorillas committed only 11 total fouls in the game and 11 turnovers. The Seasiders had 14 team fouls and turned the ball over 24 times, 17 times on Pitt State steals. The Gorillas scored 21 points off BYUH turnovers.
Pitt State will continue tournament play on Wednesday with a 2 p.m. game against Wingate. Eddie Lomshek will be broadcasting the game live on KKOW AM 860.
