PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will play host to Lincoln University in the first round of the 2018 MIAA Postseason Tournament Tuesday (Feb. 27). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CST) at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

The Records
The Gorillas wrapped up regular season action with a 16-12 overall record and a 9-10 mark in MIAA play.  Pitt State finished in a tie for eighth place in the conference standings with Lincoln, and the Gorillas earned the No. 8 seed in the MIAA Tournament.

Pitt State posted a 74-70 home win over the University of Central Missouri in the regular season finale last Saturday (Feb. 24).

This will be the Gorillas' 21st all-time appearance in the MIAA Tournament. Pitt State is 18-18 in MIAA Tournament games with one tournament title (2015) and three runner-up finishes (1997, 2007, 2012).

The Blue Tigers wrapped up regular season play with a 15-13 overall record and a 9-10 conference slate.  LU dropped its final two regular season games, including a 73-55 home loss to Northwest Missouri State University last Saturday, to slide into the No. 9 seed for the MIAA Tournament.

This will be the Blue Tigers' fifth all-time appearance in the MIAA Tournament. LU has a 5-5 all-time record in the conference tournament.  Last year the Blue Tigers earned the No. 9 seed and knocked off No. 8 seed Lindenwood University, 72-61, in the first round before dropping an 80-76 decision to top-seeded NWMSU in the quarterfinals at Kansas City, Mo.

The winner between Pitt State and Lincoln advances to the 2018 MIAA Tournament quarterfinals Friday (Mar. 2) to face No. 1 seed NWMSU at 6 p.m. (CST) at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his first season leading the Gorillas. He has a 16-12 record. Anderson (Missouri, '79) became the Gorillas' 15th all-time head coach on Apr. 10, 2017, after coaching the past three seasons at his alma mater – the University of Missouri.

He has a 317-174 (.646) record in 16 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
Pitt State and LU will meet for the 38th time Tuesday. The Gorillas hold a 31-6 advantage in the series. Pitt State is 16-1 against the Blue Tigers in games played at Pittsburg. This will be the first post-season meeting between the Gorillas and LU.

All-Time Victories
Pitt State has compiled a 1423-1176 (.547) all-time record in 109 seasons of intercollegiate play. The Gorillas rank 15th on the NCAA Division II wins list (1420).

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State enters Tuesday's match-up averaging 85.3 points per game and shooting 49.7 percent from the field. The Gorillas lead the MIAA in scoring.

Pitt State has four players averaging in double figures on the season: senior guard/forward Xavier Adams (18.2 ppg), junior guard Donovan Franklin (16.3 ppg), junior guard Grant Lozoya (12.6 ppg) and junior forward Demetrius Levarity (10.9 ppg).

Adams is averaging 18.2 points and a team-leading 7.2 rebounds per game. He also is shooting 53.8 percent from the floor (170-316). Adams (6-6, 215) ranks fourth in the MIAA in scoring, seventh in the league in rebounding and fourth in the conference in field goal percentage (.538).

Adams posted his seventh double-double of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds in the Gorillas' win over UCM in the regular season finale last Saturday (Feb. 24). He scored a season-best 31 points in a road loss to MSSU on Feb. 20.

Adams joined the Gorillas from the University of New Mexico. He started 14 of 77 career games in three seasons for the Lobos. The Flower Mound, Texas, native averaged 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2015-16. He contributed 3.9 points per game as a junior in 2016-17 before suffering a season-ending injury in early January.

Franklin (6-5, 205) scored a game-high 30 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds in his Pitt State debut against MSU on Nov. 10. He scored a game-high 28 points in the Gorillas road win against NSU on Jan. 27.

Franklin also scored a season-best 31 points in the Gorillas' 93-80 road win over MWSU on Feb. 17.

The St. Louis, Mo., native is shooting 49.4 percent from the field (118-239) and 86.5 percent from the free throw line (115-133). Franklin ranks 10th in the MIAA in scoring and sixth in the conference in free throw percentage (.860).

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 scored a season-high 24 points against Central Oklahoma on Jan. 25 and he has dished out 70 assists (3.1 apg). He ranks 17th in the MIAA in assists and 15th in the conference in steals (1.1 spg).

Lozoya scored 12 of his game-high 23 points against SBU on Feb. 10 in the game's final 2:05 as Pitt State held off the Bearcats late.

Lozoya (6-3, 180) came to Pitt State after three years at Stetson University. The Agoura Hills, Calif., native 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. He contributed 7.4 points and 2.5 rebounds as a sophomore in 2015-16, before exercising a medical redshirt in 2016-17.

Levarity is contributing 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He averaged 19.5 points in a pair of games Feb. 15-17, including a season-high 22 points against MWSU (Feb. 17). The New Orleans, La., native also scored 19 points in a road game against FHSU on Dec. 2.

Levarity (6-7, 210) 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.

The Gorillas have four additional players scoring between 5.8 and 9.7 points a game:  junior guard Jabari Antwine (9.7 ppg), senior guard Jaxon Holden (7.2 ppg), junior center Deitrich Cole, Jr. (5.8 ppg) and junior guard Dakota Jones (5.8 ppg).  

Antwine posted the first triple double in Pitt State program history on Dec. 30 when he scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists against CCCB.

He also scored 18 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 5.1 seconds left against Washburn on Jan. 20.

For the season, the Chicago native is averaging 9.7 points, 2.9  rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 24 games played. He ranks 10th in the MIAA in assists and seventh in the conference in steals (1.4 spg).

Antwine (6-1, 155) averaged 9.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.9 steals as a sophomore at Moberly Area Community College in 2016-17, earning second-team All-Region and All-Conference honors.

Holden is contributing 7.2 points per game and shooting 53.3 percent from the field (49-92). The Flower Mound, Texas, native has knocked down 29 of 68 3-point field goal attempts (.426) in 21 games played.

Holden (6-1, 180) scored a season-high 18 points against UAFS on Nov. 18. He missed five games due to illness, but returned to the lineup on Jan. 17 vs. ESU.

Holden started 13 games for the Gorillas a year ago, averaging 10.5 points per game. He missed 14 games due to injury. He has started 38 of 57 career games for the Gorillas, after transferring to Pitt State following his freshman season from Stephen F. Austin University.

Cole is shooting 63.4 percent from the floor (59-93) and averaging 3.7 rebounds in 24 games played. He scored a season-high 15 points vs. ESU (Jan. 17) and he contributed eight points and eight rebounds vs. WU (Jan. 20).

Cole (6-10, 240), a Detroit native, averaged 2.5 points and shot 55 percent from the field at Moberly Area Community College last season. He also averaged 2.4 rebounds and recorded 11 blocked shots on the year.

Jones, a Warrensburg, Mo., native, is contributing 5.8 points per game on the year. He has started the last 16 games, averaging 8.2 points per game in those contests. Jones, who has scored 817 points in 97 career games for the Gorillas (8.3 ppg), scored a career-best 21 points in Pitt State's 74-70 home win over UCM in the regular season finale last Saturday (Feb. 24).

Pitt State Probable Starters
    F    5    Demetrius Levarity, 6-7, 210, Jr., New Orleans, La.
    F    21    Xavier Adams, 6-6, 215, Sr., Flower Mound, Texas
    G    2    Grant Lozoya, 6-3, 180, Jr., Agoura Hills, Calif.
    G    3    Donovan Franklin, 6-5, 205, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.
    G    32    Dakota Jones, 5-11, 175, Sr., Warrensburg, Mo.