PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The No. 10 Pittsburg State women's basketball team will begin a four-game home stand, the final four regular season home games of the 2014-15 season, this week. The week opens with a Thursday (Feb. 12) 5:30 p.m. matchup with Nebraska-Kearney and continues on Saturday (Feb. 14) with a 1:30 p.m. match up against No. 2 Fort Hays State.
There are a lot of events surrounding this week's two games. Thursday is Craw-Kan Family Day hosted by the Pittsburg State Office of Alumni and Constituent Relations. Fans who have pre-registered for the event will get a hot dog, chips and a drink along with their game ticket, as well as a chance to win one of two bicycles for kids or an iPad Mini for adults. All fans pre-registered for family day should check in at the table in the Weede west lobby. After the women's game, senior Lizzy Jeronimus will be honored for scoring her 2,000th point and for her several new school records. It is also Beach Day in the Pitt State student section.
On Saturday, there will be a special Valentine for the first 1,000 fans at the game. Several faculty members will be honored as Pitt State Outstanding Faculty at halftime of the women's game, while many student-athletes will be honored for receiving the Pitt State Provost Award for Excellence at half time of both the men's and women's games. Saturday is Toga Day in the student section.
Nebraksa-Kearney is 11-12 overall and 5-9 in MIAA play. The Gorillas won the meeting in Kearney, 86-73, two weeks ago. UNK has lost each of its last four games. The Lopers average 69.9 points and 39.2 rebounds per game. They allow opponents 72.2 points per game, but ourebound them by three. UNK shoots .416 overall and .372 from long range. The team turns the ball over 18.1 times per game. Four UNK players average double figures, led by Amarah Williams with 15.7 ppg. She also leads the team in rebounds with 8.2 ppg. Laramey Lewis adds 15.4 ppg and is second in rebounding with 7.2 rpg. McKenzie Brown adds 12.0 ppg and Kelsey Fitzgerald, 10.9. Alexa Nohberg is just under double figures with 9.8 ppg.
No. 2 Fort Hays State is 22-1 and 14-0 in the MIAA. The team has not lost since a loss to No. 10 Concordia in the second game of the season. The Tigers do not play a midweek game this week. Fort Hays State averages almost 23 points a game more than its opponents, 76.3 ppg to 53.6 ppg. It also out rebounds opponents by 5.6 rpg, 42.2 rpg to 36.6 rpg. The team takes good care of the ball with just over 11 turnovers a game. It is also one of the top blocking teams in the country with 6.0 blocks per game, primarily from its leading scorer Kate Lehman. Lehman averages 20.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Chelsea Mason is the other double figure scorer with 12.3 ppg. She leads the team with 49 threes made on the season.
The No. 10 Gorillas are 21-3 overall and 11-2 in MIAA play. The teams two conference losses came at the hands on Emporia State and Fort Hays State. Pitt State outscores its opponents by 17.3 ppg, 74.4 to 57.1 ppg. The team also wins the rebounding game by 4.5, 39.0 rpg to 34.5 rpg. Pitt State hits 44 percent of its shots overall and 32.6 percent from long range. The Gorillas have a 1.0 assist/turnover ratio, committing 12.5 turnovers per game, with 13.0 assists.
Jeronimus leads Pitt State with 19.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. She makes 52 percent of her shots from the floor and also leads the team with 57 assists. Kylie Gafford also averages double figures with 11.4 ppg and is second in rebounding with 5.8 rpg. She leads the team with 40 blocks and 32 steals. Cathy Brugman is just under double figures with 9.2 ppg. Morgan Westhoff is the team's top three-point shooter, having made 40 of 95 threes (.421) on the season, all coming off the bench.
