PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will travel to Wichita, Kan., Tuesday (Nov. 17) to face Newman University, before the Gorillas make their home debut on Thursday (Nov. 19) against William Jewell College.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at NU's Fugate Gymnasium, while Thursday's action also will get underway at 7 p.m. at John Lance Arena.

The Records
Pitt State is off to a 2-0 start to the season. The Gorillas opened the 2015-16 campaign with a pair of victories in the MIAA/NSIC Challenge at Joplin, Mo. on Nov. 13-14. Pitt State posted a 62-59 win over Minnesota State University, Mankato in the season opener, before rolling to an 85-69 victory over St. Cloud State University the next day.

The Gorillas are coming off a 20-12 campaign during the 2014-15 season. Pitt State captured the MIAA Postseason Tournament Championship for the first time in school history and qualified for the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the sixth time in program history last year.

Newman is 2-0 on the young season. The Jets posted wins over Cameron University (81-79) and Texas A&M University-Commerce (89-79) at the Oklahoma Christian University Classic last weekend. NU posted a 15-11 record in 2014-15.

William Jewell is 1-1 on the year. The Cardinals posted an 88-53 win over Baker University in their season opener, before dropping a 73-59 decision to NCAA Division I University of Missouri-Kansas City in their most recent action Sunday (Nov. 15). WJU.

Head Coach Kevin Muff
Pittsburg State's Kevin Muff is in his sixth 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 78-67 (.538) record in his tenure with the Gorillas.

Muff was named the 2015 MIAA Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Gorillas to a 16-11 regular season record and a tie for third-place in the MIAA standings. Pitt State was picked to finish 10th in the 14-team league in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll after posting an 8-18 (4-15 MIAA) mark a year ago.

He then guided the Gorillas to a perfect 4-0 record in the MIAA Postseason Tournament, helping the Gorillas become the first No. 5 seed to claim the championship. Pitt State earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament and finished the 2014-15 campaign with a 20-12 overall record.

Series History
Tuesday's action will be 26th all-time meeting between Pitt State and Newman. The Gorillas hold a 14-11 edge in the series, which dates back to the 1974 season. Pitt State defeated Newman, 82-66, in Pittsburg on Dec. 2, 2014.

Pitt State and William Jewell will meet for the 18th time Thursday. The Gorillas hold a 12-5 advantage in the series against the Cardinals, but WJC posted a 90-83 win in the last match-up on Nov. 19, 2013.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have four players averaging in double figures early in the season: junior guard Josiah Gustafson, senior guard Trey Starks and sophomore guards Jaxon Holden and Dakota Jones.

Gustafson (6-6, 180) is averaging a team-leading 14.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game thus far.  The Omaha, Neb., native has coverted 12 of 23 shots (.522) from the field in 34 minutes of action per game.

Gustafson started all 32 games as a sophomore in 2014-15 in the Pitt State program, averaging 15.5 points per game. He ranked eighth in the MIAA in scoring and fifth in the league in free throw percentage (.838, 124-148).

For his career, Gustafson has scored 735 points in 60 games, averaging 12.3 points per game.

Starks (6-0, 190) is averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on the year. The Springfield, Mo., native is shooting 47.1 percent from the field (8-of-17) andhe's made all six of his free throw attempts on the season.

Starks averaged 12.3 points in Pitt State's final 12 games after taking the court for the first time with the Gorillas on Feb. 7.

He scored a season-high 24 points in the finals of the MIAA Tournament against Missouri Southern (Mar. 8) to help the Gorillas claim the tournament title. Starks was named the MIAA Tournament Most Valuable Player, averaging 15.3 points per game in Pitt State's four victories.

Holden (6-1, 185) scored 19 points in his Pitt State debut on Nov. 13 vs. Minnesota State. The Flower Mound, Texas native is averaging 12.0 points on the young season and shooting 61.5 percent from the field (8-of-13).

Holden came to Pitt State after one season at Stephen F. Austin University where played in 17 games for the Lumberjacks as a freshman in 2014-15 and helped SFA to a 29-5 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Jones is averaging 11.0 points and 2.5 assists per game. The Warrensburg, Mo., native is shooting .500 from the floor (6-of-12) and .875 from the free throw line (7-of-8) thus far.

Jones averaged 7.6 points as a freshman, while shooting 43.8 percent from the floor (81 of 185) and making 29 3-pointers.

Senior forward Denton Hays is averaging 8.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The Tulsa, Okla., native has made six of nine shots from the field (.667) on the season and he's blocked two shots.

Senior guard Javis Flynn is averaging 5.5 points and a team-leading 6.5 assists per game on the year. The Watonga, Okla., native dished out 10 helpers in the win vs. St. Cloud State (Nov. 14).

Flynn led the MIAA in assists and steals last season. He also converted 17 of 45 3-point field goal attempts (.378) on the year.

His 76 steals and his 160 assists both ranked as the second highest single season totals in school history.  Flynn set the Pitt State single game assist record with 12 helpers vs. Emporia State on Jan. 14. He twice made a season-high seven steals, including vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

As a team, the Gorillas are averaging 73.5 points per game and shooting 48.6 percent from the field (51-of-105). Pitt State also is shooting 40 percent from 3-point range (12-of-20) and the Gorillas are +10.0 in the rebounding margin department..

Pitt State Probable Starters
    F    4    Josiah Gustafson, 6-6, 190, Jr., Omaha, Neb.
    F    24    Trevor Gregory, 6-7, 235, Jr., Lee's Summit, Mo.
    G    3    Javis Flynn, 5-10, 170, Sr., Watonga, Okla.
    G    21    Jaxon Holden, 6-1, 185, So., Flower Mound, Texas
    G    32    Dakota Jones, 5-11, 175, So., Warrensburg, Mo.