PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will return to the friendly confines of John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court Thursday (Nov. 29) to play host to Nebraska Christian College. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CST).
Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods items or make a monetary donation to PSU'S Student-Athlete Advisory Committe (SAAC) on-site to gain free admission to the game.
The PSU-NCC game can be heard on ESPN 100.7 FM radio, online at espn1007.com/go or through the ESPN 100.7 or KSHQ app for phones or mobile devices.
The Records
Pitt State brings a 4-1 record into Thursday's action. The Gorillas have posted four consecutive wins, including a 92-84 victory over East Central University in their most recent action Friday (Nov. 23).
Pitt State dispatched Maryville University, 71-66, at Municipal Auditorium on Nov. 19 after claiming a 79-71 win over the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith in its home opener Nov. 17.
The Gorillas split a pair of games at the Central Region Tipoff Challenge Nov. 9-10 at Warrensburg, Mo. Pitt State dropped a hard-fought 95-92 decision to Wayne State College in its season opener Nov. 9, before bouncing back with a 99-76 victory over Harding University the next night.
NCC is 3-5 on the season heading into a Tuesday (Nov. 27) road match-up against Emmaus Bible College at Dubuque, Iowa. The Sentinels are seeking to halt a two-game losing streak Tuesday.
Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his second season leading the Gorillas. He compiled a 17-13 record in his first season at Pitt State and has a 21-14 (.600) mark leading the Gorillas.
Anderson (Missouri, '79) became the Gorillas' 15th all-time head coach on Apr. 10, 2017, after coaching the previous three seasons at his alma mater – the University of Missouri.
He has a 322-176 (.647) record in 18 seasons as a collegiate head coach, including the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship as head coach at the University of Central Missouri as well as two more Division II Final Four appearances (2007, 2009) while compiling a 274-95 (.743) record at the school.
Anderson led UCM to seven trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament and seven 20-win seasons. In his final season with the Mules he guided the squad to a 30-5 overall record and the D2 national title.
His Mules teams captured six MIAA regular season titles (2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014) and four MIAA Tournament titles (2005, 2007, 2009, 2013).
He was selected the MIAA Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2010, and the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2014.
Series History
This will be Pitt State's first all-time meeting against Nebraska Christian.
All-Time Victories
Pitt State has compiled a 1427-1182 (.547) all-time record in 110 seasons of intercollegiate play. The Gorillas rank 15th on the NCAA Division II wins list (1427).
Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has three players scoring in double figures – senior guard Donovan Franklin (22.3 ppg), senior guard Grant Lozoya (22.3 ppg) and senior forward/center Trenton Clayton (10.2 ppg) – while four more players – senior forward Demetrius Levarity (9.8 ppg), junior guard A.J. Walker (8.2 ppg), junior guard Marcel Cherry (4.8 ppg) and freshman guard Ray Elliott (4.2 ppg) – are scoring four or more points a game.
Franklin leads the Gorillas in scoring (22.3 ppg) and rebounding (8.2 rpg) after five games played. The St. Louis, Mo., native is shooting 49.3 percent from the field (37-75) and 86.4 percent from the free throw line (38-44). He's currently tied for second place in the MIAA in scoring and he ranks third in the conference in rebounding.
Franklin (6-5, 205) scored the game's final nine points as the Gorillas rallied from down 66-62 to claim a 71-66 win over Maryville Nov. 19. He posted a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Saints.
Franklin earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors in his initial season with the Gorillas, averaging 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26 games played. He shot 49.2 percent from the field, converting 130 of 264 shots on the season. Franklin shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range (41-102). He also made 87.2 percent of his free throw attempts, sinking 129 of 148 charity tries.
Franklin scored 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds in his Pitt State debut against Minnesota State on Nov. 10, 2017. He scored 20 or more points eight times, including a season-high 31 points against Missouri Western on Feb. 17, 2018. He scored in double figures in 22 of 29 games and averaged 18.7 points per game over the final seven games of the 2017-18 campaign.
Franklin joined the Gorillas from Indiana State University. He averaged 4.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 26 games for the Sycamores in 2016-17. He averaged 14.9 points a game as a freshman at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Fla.
Lozoya is averaging 22.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game to date. The Agoura Hills, Calif., native scored a career-high 33 points in the Gorillas' win against East Central on Nov. 23. It marked the highest single-game scoring effort by a Pitt State player since Devon Branch scored 34 points against Washburn on Mar. 1, 2014.
Lozoya (6-3, 180) earned MIAA Player of the Week honors on Nov. 9 after scoring 25 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out four assists in Pitt State's 79-71 win over UAFS on Nov. 17. He posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds vs. Maryville.
Lozoya is shooting 63.4 percent from the field (45-71), 36.8 percent from 3-point range (7-19) and .905 percent from the free throw line (19-21). He currently ranks in a tie for second place in the MIAA in scoring and he ranks second in the league in field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
Lozoya averaged 13.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while making 29 starts for the Gorillas a year ago. He made a team-leading 44 3-point field goals (44-114, .386) and he shot 48.0 percent from the field overall (129-169).
Lozoya came to Pitt State after three years at Stetson University. He averaged 9.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a freshman for the Hatters in 2014-15, earning All-Freshman honors from the Atlantic Sun Conference. Lozoya contributed 7.4 points and 2.5 rebounds as a sophomore in 2015-16, before exercising a medical redshirt in 2016-17.
Clayton is averaging 10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game. The Montgomery, Ala., native is shooting 62.1 percent from the field (18-29). He currently ranks third in the MIAA in blocked shots.
Clayton (6-9, 230) transferred to Pitt State from the University of North Alabama. He averaged 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game for the Lions last season. Clayton averaged 8.4 points and 4.8 rebounds a game as a sophomore at Shelton State Community College.
Levarity is averaging 9.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. The New Orleans, La., native also is averaging a team-leading 1.8 steals per game, ranking seventh in the MIAA.
Levarity (6-7, 210) contributed 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season. He shot 50.2 percent from the field (105-209) and he converted 37 of 90 3-point attempts (.411).
Levarity scored in double figures in 17 of 27 games played. He posted three double-doubles, including a 19-point, 11-rebound effort against Fort Hays State on Dec. 2, 2017. Levarity scored a season-high 22 points against Missouri Western on Feb. 17, 2018.
Levarity transferred to Pitt State from Sam Houston State University, where he redshirted in 2016-17. He contributed 15.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Southeastern Illinois College.
Walker is contributing 8.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and a team-leading 3.2 assists per game to date. He ranks eighth in the MIAA in steals.
Walker (6-0, 165) transferred to Pitt State from State Fair Community College. The Kansas City, Mo., native averaged 13.7 points and 7.0 assists per game for the Roadrunners in 2017-18, earning honorable mention NJCAA All-America honors.
Cherry is averaging 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
Cherry (6-1, 185) joined the Gorillas from Wabash Valley College where he averaged 7.7 points and 3.2 assists per game in 2017-18. The Merrillville, Ind., native averaged 9.1 points per game and earned honorabl mention All-Conference honors as a freshman at Howard College.
Elliott has added 4.2 points per game in his first five collegiate contests.
Elliott (6-4, 165) averaged 36 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game as a senior at Tulsa's Nathan Hale High School last year. He earned first-team Oklahoma Class 5A All-State honors after leading the state in scoring his senior prep season.
As a team, Pitt State is shooting 48.9 percent from the field (153-313), 31.6 percent from 3-point range (31-98) and 75.0 percent from the free throw line (96-128). The Gorillas are scoring 86.6 points per game.
The Gorillas rank second in the MIAA in scoring (88.6 ppg) and third in the conference in field goal percentage (.489), blocked shots (3.6 bpg) and steals (7.6 spg). Pitt State leads the MIAA in turnover margin (-5.8 pg).
Pitt State Probable Starters
   F   0   Trenton Clayton, 6-9, 230, Sr., Montgomery, Ala.
   F   5   Demetrius Levarity, 6-7, 210, Sr., New Orleans, La.
   G   1   A.J. Walker, 6-0, 165, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.
   G   2   Grant Lozoya, 6-3, 180, Sr., Agoura Hills, Calif.
   G   3   Donovan Franklin, 6-5, 205, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.
