PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will open Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play with a pair of conference match-ups this week. The Gorillas will travel to Joplin, Mo., Tuesday (Dec. 3) to face Missouri Southern State University before returning home to entertain Washburn University Thursday (Dec. 5).

Tip-off for Tuesday's action is set for 7:30 p.m. (CST) at MSSU's Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, while Thursday's match-up against the Ichabods is set for 7:30 p.m. at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

The Pitt State action 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 is 4-1 on the young season.  The Gorillas have won four straight games since opening the season with a 73-62 loss to Upper Iowa University on Nov. 8. Pitt State scored a pair of home wins last weekend with a 72-69 decision against Hastings College on Nov. 29 and a 78-67 victory over Avila University last Saturday (Nov. 30).

Missouri Southern is 5-1 on the season.  The Lions, who were ranked No. 15 in the most recent NABC/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll, have won two straight games. MSSU claimed a 110-46 victory over Culver-Stockton College in its most recent action on Nov. 29. The Lions also defeated Upper Iowa, 98-73, on Nov. 23.

Washburn is 3-3 on the season. The Ichabods will seek to halt a two-game losing streak when they face the Gorillas Thursday.  WU dropped a pair of home games last weekend to Southwestern Oklahoma State University (84-73) and Truman State University (62-60).

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his third season leading the Gorillas. He has compiled a pair of 17-13 records in his first two seasons at Pitt State.

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 339-189 (.642) record in 19 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
Tuesday's action will mark the 105th all-time meeting between Pitt State and MSSU. The Lions hold a 57-47 advantage in the series, including a 37-14 edge in games played at Joplin.  MSSU has won the last seven contests at Joplin.

Thursday's match-up will be the 195th all-time meeting between Pitt State and Washburn. The Ichabods hold a 103-81 advantage in the series, but the Gorillas are 56-29 in games played in Pittsburg.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have three players scoring in double figures early in the season:  sophomore guards Ray Elliott (13.6 ppg) and R.J. Lawrence (11.4 ppg) and senior guard Jah-Kobe Womack (12.0 ppg).

Elliott (6-4, 165) is averaging 13.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game to date. He averages 2.0 3-point field goals per game (10-33, .303). The Tulsa, Okla., native posted career highs of 20 points and nine rebounds in the Gorillas victory over Avila on Nov. 30.

He currently ranks in a tie for 10th place in the MIAA in 3-point field goals and he ranks 17th in the conference in scoring.

Elliott saw action in all 30 games in a reserve role for the Gorillas in 2018-19, averaging 4.8 points per game. He made 27 3-point field goals on the year (27-83, .325).

Elliott led the state of Oklahoma in scoring as a senior at Tulsa's Nathan Hale High School in 2017-18, averaging 36 points per game.

Lawrence is contributing 11.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game on the season. He ranks 10th in the MIAA in assists to date.

Lawrence (5-11, 145) played in 17 contests during his freshman campaign, averaging 3.5 points per game. The Blue Springs, Mo., native shot 46.7 percent from the field (21-45) in limited action (7.6 minutes per game).

Lawrence was a three-time All-Conference and two-time All-District performer at Blue Springs High School.

Womack is averaging 12.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game to date. Womack (6-3, 175) transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division II member Quincy University for his senior campaign. He scored a season high 16 points the last time out vs. Avila (Nov. 30).

The St. Louis, Mo., native averaged 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game during his junior campaign at Quincy, after redshirting in 2017-18. He made a team-leading 41 3-point field goals.

Womack averaged 10.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Allen County Community College in 2016-17. He helped lead Cardinal Ritter College Prep to the Missouri Class 3A state championship as a junior in 2013-14. He averaged 19 points and six rebounds per game, earning first-team All-Conference honors as a senior in 2014-15.

Junior forward Xavier Womack Womack made his Pitt State debut vs. Baptist Bible College, after missing the Gorillas' first two contests. The Johnson County Community College transfer posted a double-double against the Patriots with 12 points and 11 rebounds. For the season, he is averaging 8.7 points and a team-leading 11.7 rebounds per game.

Womack (6-6, 180) started 10 of 35 games played for the Cavaliers in 2018-19, helping JCCC to a 31-4 record and the NJCAA Division II National Runner-Up finish.

The St. Louis, Mo., native averaged 8.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field on the season.

Womack was selected the NJCAA Kansas Jayhawk Community College Division II Freshman of the Year in 2017-18 when he averaged 12.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while starting 26 of 31 games. He posted nine double-doubles during his freshman campaign and garnered second-team All-Jayhawk Conference honors.

Senior guard Marcel Cherry also made his season debut against BBC on Nov. 23. He is averaging 8.3 points 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

Cherry (6-1, 185) averaged 4.2 points and 1.7 assists per game in his first season in the Pitt State program in 2018-19. The Merrillville, Ind., native made three starts in the Pitt State backcourt.

Cherry averaged 7.7 points and 3.2 assists per game as a sophomore at Wabash Valley College in 2017-18. He posted 9.1 points per game as a freshman at Howard College, earning honorable mention All-Conference honors.

Junior forward Dejon Waters Jr. is contributing 8.0 points and 2.6 rebounds per game as well after joining the Gorillas from Central Georgia Technical College. He is shooting 45.5 percent from the field (15-33).

Waters (6-4, 220) averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game as a sophomore at Central Georgia Tech. The Atlanta, Ga., native scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds a game as a senior at Shiloh High School.

Senior forward Christian Edmondson has averaged 7.5 points and an MIAA leading 11.0 rebounds per game. He is shooting a team-best 57.1 percent form the field, making 12 of 21 shots from the floor. Edmondson also has blocked eight shots in four gamed played (2.0 bpg), ranking second in the MIAA in blocked shots.

Edmondson (6-6, 215) posted career highs with 19 points and 18 rebounds in the Gorillas' season over vs. Upper Iowa on Nov. 8. He missed the Baptist Bible College game on Nov. 23, but  returned to the lineup last weekend.

Edmondson averaged 6.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game during his junior campaign. He saw action in 25 games, including eight starts, in the Pitt State frontcourt. The Flower Mound, Texas, native shot 64.9 percent from the field, making 74 of 114 shots from the field. He also grabbed a team-leading 54 offensive rebounds and recorded 32 blocked shots (1.3 bpg) on the season.

Edmondson has scored 341 points (4.8 ppg) and grabbed 284 rebounds (4.0 rpg) in 71 career games for the Gorillas.

Junior forward Antonio Givens II has averaged 5.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game to date. He transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division I Kent State University. Givens posted 15 points and eight rebounds against BBC on Nov. 23.

Givens (6-9, 260) redshirted in his only season at Kent State after playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at Wabash Valley College. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Warriors in 2017-18, shooting 62.5 percent from the field on the season.

Givens was a standout prep performer at West High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Redshirt freshman guard Drew Roelfs has averaged 5.0 points per game to date. Roelfs (6-1, 180) scored a career high 18 points in the Gorillas' win against Baptist Bible College. The Pittsburg native has made seven 3-pointers on the season (7-17, .412).

Roelfs redshirted in his initial season in the Pitt State program in 2018-19. He earned All-League honors as a senior at Pittsburg High School.

Junior guard Grant Harding is averaging 4.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game on the season. He posted 17 points and five rebounds vs. BBC.

Harding (6-3, 219) transferred to Pitt State from Hesston College. The Louisburg, Kan., native started 60 games in the backcourt at Hesston. He averaged 17 points and seven rebounds a game as a senior at Louisburg High School.

Senior guard A.J. Walker will return to action for the Gorillas at the start of the second semester. Walker started all 30 games during his junior campaign, averaging 7.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

The Kansas City, Mo., native transferred to Pitt State from State Fair Community College where he averaged 13.7 points and 7.0 assists per game during his sophomore campaign and earned honorable mention NJCAA All-America honors.

Pitt State Probable Starters
   F   0  Xavier Womack, 6-7, 180, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.
   F  15  Antonio Givens II, 6-9, 260, Jr., Columbus, Ohio 
   G   4  Ray Elliott, 6-4, 165, So., Tulsa, Okla.
   G  11  Marcel Cherry, 6-1, 185, Sr., Merrillville, Ind.
   G  14  R.J. Lawrence, 5-11, 145, So., Blue Springs, Mo.