PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women'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 5:30 p.m. (CST) at MSSU's Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, while Thursday's match-up against the Ichabods is set for 5:30 p.m. at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

The Records
Pitt State is 2-3 on the young season. The Gorillas dropped an 83-76 home decision to Tarleton State University in their last action on Nov. 27.

The Gorillas opened the season by hosting the MIAA/GAC Conference Challenge Nov. 8-9. Pitt State defeated Oklahoma Baptist Univeristy, 96-78, in the season opener before falling the next day, 84-83, to No. 20 ranked Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Pitt State dropped an 83-78 road decision to Lindenwood University on Nov. 13, before bouncing back with a 96-51 home win over Central Christian College on Nov. 16.

Missouri Southern is 2-5 on the season. The Lady Lions dropped an 81-78 road decision to Henderson State University in their most recent action on Nov. 26.

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 60-52 non-conference match-up against Emporia State University the last time out on Nov. 29.

Head Coach Amanda Davied
Amanda Davied is in her second year as head coach at Pittsburg State after being hired to the position on May 21, 2018.

She has a 23-12 (.657) record leading her alma mater.

Davied guided her alma mater to a berth in the 2018-19 NCAA Division II National Tournament in her debut season, becoming the first Pitt State head coach in program history to enjoy a 20-win season in year one of their tenure.

Davied, who served the previous 14 seasons as the assistant coach for her alma mater, replaced her former mentor, Lane Lord, who accepted the head coach position at NCAA Division I member University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

As the Gorillas top assistant the previous 14 years, Davied served as the team's recruiting coordinator and was highly involved in all aspects of the administration of the women's basketball program.

During her tenure on the Pitt State staff (2004-present), the Gorillas have compiled a 306-172 overall record (.640), capturing an MIAA regular season title in 2017 and making six trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019) including a pair of Elite Eight appearances (2012, 2016).

Davied began her coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Gorilla women's basketball program in the 2003-04 season, after completing a decorated playing career for Pitt State the previous season. She was hired as a full-time assistant in July 2004 by former head coach Steve High and remained to serve as the top assistant on Lord's staff when he took over the program in April 2007.

Series History
Tuesday's action will mark the 94th all-time meeting between Pitt State and MSSU. The Gorillas 51-42 edge in the series, but the Lady Lions are 24-21 vs. Pitt State at Joplin.

Thursday's match-up will be the 88th meeting between the Gorillas and Ichabods.WU leads the series, 53-34, but Pitt State is 23-19 vs. the Ichabods in Pittsburg.

PSU at Home
Pitt State has posted a 107-26 (.805) record at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court the past 10 seasons, including a 2-2 mark this year.  The Gorillas are 67-15 (.817) at home since the start of the 2014 campaign.

Pitt State's Last Action
Tarleton State used a big third quarter to propel the Texans to an 83-76 road win over Pitt State on Nov. 27 at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

Pitt State built a 46-38 halftime advantage against Tarleton, but the Texans outscored the Gorillas, 27-15, in the pivotal third quarter to take the lead. TSU held off Pitt State down the stretch for the win.

The Texans stretched their lead to as many as seven points in the fourth quarter. The Gorillas battled back within two points, 77-75, with 3:05 to play on a pair of free throws by Athena Alvarado, but Tarleton outscored Pitt State, 6-1, down the stretch.

Mackenzie Hailey led five Texans in double figures with 20 points. Alexa Hoy added 17 and Lucy Benson finished with 15. Kylie Collins (12) and Marissa Escamilla (10) also scored in double figures for Tarleton.

Athena Alvarado scored a game-high 23 points to pace Pitt State, while Tristan Gegg added 20 points. Maya WIlliams added 10 points, while Kaylee DaMitz added a game-high 10 assists in the contest.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has three players averaging in double figures on the young season: sophomore guard Tristan Gegg (24.2 ppg), junior guard Maya Williams (15.4 ppg) and senior forward Athena Alvarado (17.0 ppg).

Gegg scored a career high 28 points on back-to-back nights against OBU and SWOSU to open the season.  The Altamont, Kan., native is shooting 53.7 percent from the field on the season (44-82) including 45.7 percent from 3-point range (16-35). She also is averaging 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game to date.

Gegg leads the MIAA in scoring and 3-point field goals (3.2 pg) and she ranks second in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.457). Gegg averaged 8.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game during her freshman campaign in 2018-19. She knocked down 40 of 107 3-point field goal attempts on the year (.374).

Gegg has scored 362 points in 35 career games for the Gorillas (10.3 ppg).

Alvarado is averaging 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots per game to date. For the season, Alvarado is shooting 59.0 percent from the field (36-61). She leads the MIAA in field goal percentage, ranks fourth in the league in blocked shots and ranks fifth in both scoring and rebounding.

Alvarado was named the MIAA Player of the Week  on Nov. 12 for her efforts in the Gorillas' season opening action when she averaged 19.5 points, 15.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per game in Pitt State's first two games of the year.

The Wichita, Kan., native enjoyed a monster season debut with career highs of 31 points and 20 rebounds in the Gorillas' 96-78 win over Oklahoma Baptist.

She battled foul trouble in the Gorillas' last second loss to No. 20 SWOSU. Alvarado scored the go-ahead basket with 4.4 seconds remaining in the contest only to see the Lady Bulldogs win the game on a pair of free throws two seconds later. She finished the game with eight points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Alvarado contributed 10.6 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game last year, earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors. She shot a team-leading 56.3 percent from the field a year ago, making 129 of 229 attempts. Alvarado also paced the team with 60 offensive rebounds and she blocked 40 shots on the season.

Alvarado has scored 776 points (8.3 ppg), grabbed 423 rebounds (4.5 rpg) and posted 109 blocked shots (1.2 bpg) in 94 career games for the Gorillas. Her 109 blocked shots rank fourth in school history.

Williams is averaging 15.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game to date. The Carthage, Mo., native is shooting 54.9 percent from the field (28-51).

She posted back-to-back double doubles against Lindenwood and Central Christian College, including a 20-point, 11-rebound effort vs. CCC.

Williams averaged a team-leading 11.9 points as well as 6.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2018-19. She earned third-team All-MIAA honors last year.

Williams shot 43.0 percent from the field (119-277) and made 21 3-point field goals on the year. She also shot 76.0 percent from the free throw line, making 98 of 129 charity shots.

Williams has scored 515 points (8.2 ppg) and grabbed 253 rebounds (4.0 rpg) in 63 career games for the Gorillas.

DaMitz is contributing 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. The Skyline, Mo., native leads the MIAA in assists.

DaMitz earned MIAA Freshman of the Year honors in her rookie campaign for the Gorillas last year. The Skyline, Mo., native averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while also earning honorable mention All-MIAA recognition. She ranked second in the MIAA in assists last year.

Maher is averaging 7.8 points per game following a 20-point outburst vs. Central Christian College on Nov. 16. The Raymore, Mo., native averaged 5.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game for the Gorillas last year. She converted 42 of 101 3-point field goals (.416) on the season.

Maher has scored 503 points (5.7 ppg) and grabbed 123 rebounds (1.4 rpg) in 88 career games.

Among Pitt State's reserves, sophomore guard Sydnee Crain is averaging 3.4 points per game, while senior forward Marina Bauza Rubert is scoring 3.3 points per game to date. Junior center Julia Johnson also is chipping in with 2.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Crain, from Girard, Kan., contributed 3.4 points and 1.4 assists per game  in 12.9 minutes of action in 2018-19.z

Pitt State Probable Starters
   F  15  Athena Alvarado, 6-0, Sr., Wichita, Kan. |
   F  35  Meghan Maher, 6-0, Sr., Raymore, Mo.
   G   1  Maya Williams, 5-9, Jr., Carthage, Mo.
   G   2  Kaylee DaMitz, 5-4, So., Preston, Mo.  
   G  10  Tristan Gegg, 5-7, So., Altamont, Kan.