PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State Gorillas women's basketball team handed No. 6 Missouri Western their second loss of the season on Wednesday (Jan. 27), with a 83-80 win over the Griffons in John Lance Arean. The win improved the Gorillas' to 16-4 and 10-4 in league play, while the Griffons fell to 18-2 overall and 12-2 in the MIAA.
Kylie Gafford led the Gorilla offense with 24 points, followed by Mikaela Burgess, who scored 19 points and went 4-for-7 from behind the arc. Cathy Brugman added 15 points, while Hadyn Herlocker contributed 11 points toward the Gorilla victory. Madison Northcutt came off the bench to lead the Gorillas with seven rebounds, while Paige Lungwitz added six, including four off the offensive glass.
The game had a rough start for the Gorillas, as Missouri Western took a 12-2 lead within the first three minutes. Burgess sank a three to end the Griffons' scoring streak, then followed with two points from the foul line to shorten the deficit to just five points. The Gorillas fought their way back and a Brugman layup gave the Gorillas their first lead of the game at 18-17 with 1:45 left in the first period. Missouri Western took the lead back, but Burgess hit another three to tie the game at 21-21 at the end of the first.
Missouri Western was able to build up to a seven-point lead again, 42-35, with 1:24 remaining in the half. The Gorillas made four free throws to cut the lead to three. With four seconds left, Brugman inbounded the ball to Herlocker who let it fly from beyond half court. Her shot hit the mark and sent the Gorillas into the locker room tied 42-42 at the half.
In the second half, Missouri Western's Mhykeah Baez kicked off the second half with a shot underneath to pull the Griffons ahead, 42-44. Brugman responded with a jumper just a few seconds later to tie the game once again. The game went back and forth, but a Lungwitz layup with 5:46 left in the third gave Pitt State a lead that would last through the quarter. A little run by the Gorillas, capped by Brugman free throws, gave Pitt State a seven-point, 62-55 lead.
Brugman started the fourth with a layup to extend the Pitt State lead to eight points, 69-61, its largest of the game. The game was not even close to being done though as the Griffons went on a 10-0 run to go up 72-69.
Herlocker came up big for the Gorillas again with a three to stop the Missouri Western run and tie the game for the ninth time. After three more ties, two Gafford free throws with 2:17 left gave Pitt State the final lead of the game. A LaQuinta Jefferson free throw would cut the lead to one with 36 seconds remaining. Brugman was sent to the line for the final time and hit to, making her 7-of-7 from the charity stripe, to seal the win.
Missouri Western's Jefferson led all players with 29 points.
The Gorillas will host Missouri Northwest on Saturday for their Black Tie Basketball Game and Wish Celebration for Lily Clarke. All fans are encouraged to dress as if they were going to a Broadway play and help the PSU Athletic Department celebrate the granting of Lily's wish through Make-A-Wish. The Wish Celebration and reveal will take place between the men's and women's games. Women's tip off is slated for 1:30 p.m.
