The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will return to John Lance Arena for a pair of MIAA match-ups against Missouri Western State University Saturday (Jan. 27) and Northwest Missouri State University Saturday (Jan. 30).

Tipoff for Wednesday's action against the Griffons is set for 7:30 p.m. (CST), while Saturday's game against the Bearcats gets under way at 3:30 p.m.

The Records
Pitt State is 10-9 overall, 5-8 in MIAA play and alone in 11th place in the conference standings. The Gorillas split a pair of road games last week against Lindenwood University and Lincoln University. Pitt State claimed a 70-66 victory over the Lions last Thursday (Jan. 21) at St. Charles, Mo., before the Gorillas dropped a 68-63 decision to the Blue Tigers Saturday (Jan. 23) at Jefferson City,  Mo.

Missouri Western is 6-13 overall, 4-9 in MIAA play and tied for 12th place in the conference standings. The Griffons dropped an 85-66 home decision to the University of Nebraska-Kearney in their last action on Jan. 23.

Northwest Missouri is 13-5 overall, 10-3 in the MIAA and alone in first place in the conference standings heading into a Wednesday (Jan. 27) home match-up against Missouri Southern State University. The Bearcats have won three straight games, including a 77-55 home victory over Fort Hays State University the last time out (Jan. 23).

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 an 86-76 (.531) 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 the previous season.

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.

Wednesday's action will be Muff's ninth match-up against Western. He has a 6-2 record against the Griffons. Muff has an 4-6 record against Northwest Missouri.

Series History
Wednesday's action will be 72nd all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Griffons in a series that dates back to the 1977 season.

MWSU holds a 38-33 (.535) advantage in the series, but the Gorillas lead 20-15 (.687) in games played in Pittsburg.  The Griffons snapped a six-game losing streak in the series with a 69-66 victory over the Gorillas at the MWSU Fiedhouse on Dec. 10.

Pitt State dug itself a double-digit first-half deficit but the No. 25 Gorillas couldn't quite complete the comeback against the Griffons.

Western's Currie Byrd hit a pair of critical 3-pointers in the game's final 1:47 after the Gorillas had battled back to tie the score.

Trey Sampson made three of four free throws in the final 21 seconds, but his miss with 7.2 seconds to play left the door open for Pitt State to force overtime. Josiah Gustafson rebounded Sampson's miss and rushed the ball upcourt. He found Jaxon Holden at the top of the key but his 25-footer missed at the buzzer.

Dakota Jones matched his career high with 23 points on the night, including five of Pitt State's 11 3-pointers in the contest. The Gorillas made 62.5 percent of their shots in the second half, making 15 of 24 shots after struggling through a tepid first half shooting slump (7-22, .318).

Saturday's action will be the 126th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Bearcats. Pitt State leads the series, 68-57 (.544), including a lopsided 43-13 (.768) advantage in games played in Pittsburg.

The Bearcats posted a 73-48 victory at Bearcat Arena on Dec. 13. Trevor Gregory led the Gorillas with 13 points in that game. Josiah Gustafson added nine and Denton Hays finished with eight.

The Gorillas committed 17 turnovers in the contest which the Bearcats turned into 19 points. Justin Pitts topped three Northwest players in double figures with 19.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State has compiled a 388-182 (.681) record in 570 career games played at John Lance Arena (1970-present).

The Gorillas have posted a 208-72 (.743) record on their home floor during the past 21 seasons (1997-2016), including a school record 40 straight home wins between Jan. 10, 1997 and Feb. 22, 1999. Pitt State is 50-24 (.676) at home during the past six seasons under Coach Muff.

All told, the Gorillas have compiled an 832-343 (.708) all-time home record, winning 70.8 percent of their 1,175 home games.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have three players averaging in double figures on the season: junior guard Josiah Gustafson (15.8 ppg), senior guard Trey Starks (14.4 ppg) and sophomore guard Dakota Jones (10.9 ppg).

Gustafson (6-6, 180) is averaging a team-leading 15.8 points per game thus far.  The Omaha, Neb., native has coverted 100 of 206 shots (.485) from the field, 38 of 80 3-point field goals (.475) and 63 of 72 free throws (.875) in 32.1 minutes of action per game. He also is averaging a team-leading 5.1 rebounds as well as 1.5 assists per game.

Gustafson ranks 10th in the MIAA in scoring. He ranks second the MIAA in 3-point field goal percentage and third in the league in free throw percentage.

Gustafson made 38 consecutive free throws between Nov. 14 and Jan. 2.

He scored a career-high 34 points in the Gorillas 100-97 victory over William Jewell on Nov. 19.  He was named the MIAA Player of the Week on Nov. 30, after averaging 21.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in a pair of victories at Denver, Colo., against Regis and Metro State.

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 1,007 points in 77 games, averaging 13.1 points per game.  He became the 22nd player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points Saturday (Jan. 23) against Lincoln.

Starks (6-0, 190) is averaging 14.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game on the year. The Springfield, Mo., native is shooting 47.1 percent from the field (81-of-172) and he's made 82 of 99 free throw attempts (.828) on the season.

He matched his career high with 24 points in the Gorillas' 80-62 road win over Regis on Nov. 27.

Starks averaged 12.3 points in Pitt State's final 12 games in 2014-15, 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.

Jones is averaging 10.9 points and 1.8 assists per game. The Warrensburg, Mo., native is shooting 44.4 percent from the field (68-of-153), including 48.5 percent from 3-point range (32-of-66). He's also converted 39 of 48 free throws (.813) on the season.

Jones tallied a career-high 23 points vs. Northeastern State on Dec. 2. He also scored 23 points and converted five of seven 3-point field goals against Missouri Western on Dec. 10. Jones would rank second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage but does not meet the 2.0 per game minimum of makes to qualify for a ranking.

Additionally, three Pitt State players are averaging between 4.9 and 7.9 points on the year:  senior guard Javis Flynn (7.9 ppg), sophomore guard Jaxon Holden (7.4 ppg) and freshman guard Chris Owens (4.9 ppg).

Flynn is averaging 7.9 points, an MIAA-leading 5.1 assists as well as 2.0 steals per game. The Watonga, Okla., native scored a career-high 19 points in the Gorillas' win vs. William Jewell (Nov. 19) and matched that total against Fort Hays State (Jan. 2). He dished out 10 helpers in the win vs. St. Cloud State (Nov. 14); and he currently ranks second in the MIAA in steals.
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.

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 7.4 points on the season. He suffered a concussion five minutes into the Newman game on Nov. 17. He missed five games, before returning to the lineup in a reserve role vs. Missouri Western on Dec. 10.

Holden came to Pitt State after one season at Stephen F. Austin University where he 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.

Owens (6-4, 180) is averaging 4.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 15.1 minutes of action. The Springdale, Ark., native scored 10 points and pulled down a season-high nine rebounds against Metro State on Nov. 28. He scored a season-high 15 points against William Jewell (Nov. 19).

As a team, the Gorillas are averaging 75.6 points per game and shooting 48.1 percent from the field (481-of-1000). Pitt State also is shooting 40.6 percent from 3-point range (126-of-310) and 75.1 percent from the free throw line (349-of-465). The Gorillas are +0.3 in the rebounding margin department.

Defensively, Pitt State is allowing 76.3 points per game while its opponents are shooting 48.0 percent from the field (499-of-1040), 40.8 percent from 3-point range (146-of-358) and 73.9 percent from the free throw line (306-of-414).

Pitt State ranks third in the MIAA in field goal percentage, but the squad is 13th in the league in field goal percentage defense. The Gorillas are second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage.

Pitt State Probable Starters
    F    4    Josiah Gustafson, 6-6, 190, Jr., Omaha, Neb.
    F    22    Denton Hays, 6-7, 225, Sr., Tulsa, Okla.
    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.