ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- The Pittsburg State women's basketball team took advantage of an early lead and a great shooting night from long range to earn an 87-74 win at Lindenwood on Thursday (Jan. 21) evening.

The Gorillas shot 84.4 percent from the free throw line, including 20-for-22 in the second half.

Mikaela Burgess led four Gorillas in double figures with 24, 14 of which she scored in the second half. She made four threes in the game. Cathy Brugman added 19 points, including 15 in the second half. She was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. Kylie Gafford and Hadyn Herlocker each added 13 points. Gafford was just short of a double-double with nine rebounds. Herlocker led the team with four assists.

Pitt State jumped out to a 19-9 lead after the first quarter. The Gorillas held the Lions scoreless for the last 3:57 of the quarter and went on an 8-0 run fueled by back-to-back threes from Elena Flott.

Lindenwood worked its way back in the second quarter, starting the quarter on a 6-0 run. Pitt State came back and stretched its lead to double digits again, including a then-game high lead of 12 on a Brugman jumper in the lane to make the score 32-20. The Pitt State lead hovered between 10 and seven for the remainder of the half, sending the Gorillas to the locker room up 37-30.

An early third-quarter run by the Lions brought them within two, but Pitt State never gave up the lead. The Gorillas ended the third quarter on a 10-3 run to lead by 10 heading into the fourth.

Lindenwood was able to cut the lead to single digits again in the fourth quarter, but Pitt State never led by less than seven. Twelve of the Gorillas' 24 fourth quarer points came from the free throw line. The team built their lead out to a game-high 17 points, 87-70 with 42 seconds to go. Lindenwood scored the last four points of the game for the 97-74 final score.

Pitt State will stay on the road and travel to Jefferson City, Mo. to face the Lincoln Blue Tigers at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 23.