PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will return to John Lance Arena for its final two home games of the 2015-16 regular season. The Gorillas will host MIAA rival Fort Hays State University Thursday (Feb. 11) at 7:30 p.m. (CST), before entertaining the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Senior Day Saturday (Feb. 13) at 3:30 p.m.

The Records
Pitt State is 12-11 overall, 7-10 in MIAA play and alone in 11th place in the conference standings. The Gorillas split a pair of home games last week against Washburn University and Emporia State University. Pitt State claimed an 82-71 victory over the Ichabods last Wednesday (Feb. 3) at Topeka, before the Gorillas dropped a 78-66 decision to the Hornets Saturday (Feb. 6) at Emporia.

Fort Hays State is 15-7 overall, 9-7 in MIAA play and alone in fifth place in the conference standings. The Tigers posted home wins over the University of Central Missouri (81-54) last Thursday and Southwest Baptist University (81-66) last Saturday.

Nebraska-Kearney is 14-8 overall, 10-6 in the MIAA and alone in fourth place in the conference standings heading into a Thursday (Feb. 11) road match-up against Missouri Southern State University. The Lopers have won five games in a row, including a 57-55 home decision against UCM the last time out Saturday (Feb. 6).

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 88-78 (.530) 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.
Thursday's action will be Muff's 11th match-up against FHSU. He has a 3-7 record against the Tigers. Muff has a 2-4 record against the Lopers.

Series History
Thursday's action will be 157th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Tigers in a series that dates back to the 1917 season. FHSU holds an 84-72 (.538) advantage in the series, but Pitt State leads 48-30 (.615) in games played in Pittsburg.

The Tigers claimed an 89-78 victory at Hays on Jan. 2, 2016. Jake Stoppel scored a game-high 24 points to lead five FHSU players in double figures in that contest; and the Tigers shot 58.9 percent from the field in the game (33-56).

Trey Starks (20), Javis Flynn (19) and Josiah Gustafson (17) combined for 56 of the Gorillas' 78 points in the contest.

Saturday's action will be the 37th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Lopers. UNK leads the series, 28-8 (.778), including an 11-7 advantage in games played in Pittsburg.

The Lopers rolled to a 91-75 victory over the Gorillas on Jan. 4, 2016, at Kearney, Neb. Conner Bernarek had a double-double with 25 points and 16 rebounds to pace UNK, while Ethan Brozek added 20 points. Trey Starks led four Pitt State players in double figures with 19 points.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State has compiled a 389-183 (.680)  record in 572 career games played at John Lance Arena (1970-present).

The Gorillas have posted a 209-73 (.741) 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 51-25 (.671) at home during the past six seasons under Coach Muff.

All told, the Gorillas have compiled an 833-344 (.708) all-time home record, winning 70.8 percent of their 1,177  home games.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have three players averaging in double figures on the season: junior guard Josiah Gustafson (16.6 ppg), senior guard Trey Starks (14.7 ppg) and sophomore guard Dakota Jones (11.2 ppg).

Gustafson (6-6, 180) is averaging a team-leading 16.6 points per game  The Omaha, Neb., native has coverted 129 of 255 shots (.506) from the field, 48 of 98 3-point field goals (.490) and 76 of 85 free throws (.894) in 32.0 minutes of action per game. He also is averaging a team-leading 5.2 rebounds as well as 1.7 assists per game.

Gustafson ranks eighth in the MIAA in scoring. He ranks third the MIAA in 3-point field goal percentage and second 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 1,088 points in 81 games, averaging 13.4 points per game.  He became the 22nd player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points Saturday (Jan. 23) against Lincoln.
He currently ranks 16th on Pitt State's all-time scoring chart.  Gustafson needs 46 more points to crack the school's top 10 list.

Starks (6-0, 190) is averaging 14.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game on the year. The Springfield, Mo., native is shooting 45.9 percent from the field (101-of-220) and he's made 100 of 119 free throw attempts (.840) 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 11.2 points and 1.9 assists per game. The Warrensburg, Mo., native is shooting 45.9 percent from the field (85-of-185), including 45.7 percent from 3-point range (37-of-81). He's also converted 51 of 60 free throws (.850) 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 third 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 6.0 and 7.6 points on the year:  senior guard Javis Flynn (7.6 ppg), sophomore guard Jaxon Holden (7.4 ppg) and senior forward Denton Hays (6.0 ppg).

Flynn is averaging 7.6 points, 4.7 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 assists and 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 7.8 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.

Hays (6-7, 225) is averaging 6.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 16.6 minutes of action. The Tulsa, Okla., native posted his first career double-double with a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds in Pitt State's victory over Missouri Western on Jan. 27.

As a team, the Gorillas are averaging 76.3 points per game and shooting 48.5 percent from the field (589-of-1215). Pitt State also is shooting 40.1 percent from 3-point range (156-of-389) and 77.1 percent from the free throw line (420-of-545). The Gorillas are +0.3 in the rebounding margin department.

Defensively, Pitt State is allowing 76.2 points per game while its opponents are shooting 48.0 percent from the field (611-of-1272), 40.6 percent from 3-point range (174-of-429) and 73.8 percent from the free throw line (357-of-484).

Pitt State ranks fourth in the MIAA in field goal percentage, but the squad is 13th in the league in field goal percentage defense. The Gorillas are fourth 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    11    Trey Starks, 6-0, 190, Sr., Springfield, Mo.
    G    32    Dakota Jones, 5-11, 175, So., Warrensburg, Mo.