LAWRENCE – Perry Ellis led a balanced University of Kansas attack with 22 points as the fourth-ranked Jayhawks posted a 89-66 exhibition game victory over Pittsburg State University Wednesday (Nov. 4) at Allen Fieldhouse.
 
The scrappy Gorillas, coming off a 20-12 season and an appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament a year ago, battled the Jayhawks all the way.
 
Josiah Gustafson scored a team-leading 20 points to pace Pitt State. Sophomore transfer Jaxon Holden connected on four 3-pointers to chip in with 12 points, while freshman Chris Owens and senior Lamine Dieng added nine points apiece.
 
Frank Mason III added 14 points for the Jayhawks, while Carlton Bragg, Jr. finished with 14 and Hunter Mickelson added 10.
 
The two squads traded punches early on as neither team led by more than two points over the course of the first 11 minutes of action.
 
Lamine Dieng's follow shot dunk gave the Gorillas their final lead of the game, 16-14, prompting a Jayhawks timeout with 10:55 to play in the first half.
 
KU still clung to a 25-23 lead following Chris Owens' second 3-pointer of the game with 5:01 remaining in the period, but the Jayhawks outscored the Gorillas 21-5 the rest of the way to take a commanding 46-28 lead at the break.
 
The Gorillas trailed between 16-20 points a majority of the second half, before the Jayhawks scored 16 of the final 25 points of the game.
 
Pitt State will open the regular season Nov. 13-14 when the Gorillas travel to Joplin, Mo., to face St. Cloud State and Minnesota State in the MIAA-NSIC Challenge.