PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will return to the friendly confines of John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court to open a three game homestand. The Gorillas will host MIAA rival Missouri Southern State University Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. (CST).

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 9-7 overall and 5-3 in MIAA action on the season. The Gorillas split a pair of road games last week, dropping a 72-50 decision to the University of Central Missouri Wednesday (Jan. 15) before posting an 84-63 victory against Lincoln University last Saturday (Jan. 18).

Missouri Southern is 5-11 overall and 2-6 in MIAA play. The Lady Lions also split a pair of games last week, defeating Lincoln, 74-65, on Jan. 16 before falling to UCM, 76-44, on Jan. 18.

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 30-16 (.652) 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 313-176 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
Saturday's action will mark the 95th all-time meeting between Pitt State and MSSU. The Gorillas hold a 52-42 edge in the series, including a 29-17 advantage in games played in Pittsburg.

The two teams met at Joplin, Mo., on Dec. 3 and Pitt State rolled to a 68-49 win.Kaylee DaMitz led the Gorillas with 18 points in the game, while Athena Alvarado posted a double double with 14 points and 12 rebounds against the Lady Lions.  Pitt State benefitted from 18 offensive rebounds in the game to overcome a 34.8 percent shooting night (24-69).

PSU at Home
Pitt State has posted a 110-27 (.803) record at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court the past 10 seasons, including a 5-3 mark this year.  The Gorillas are 70-16 (.814) at home since the start of the 2014 campaign.

Pitt State's Last Action
Central Missouri built a 14-point halftime lead and never looked back in claiming a 72-50 win over Pitt State on Jan. 15 at the Multipurpose Building at Warrensburg, Mo.

Tristan Gegg scored a team leading 16 points and grabbed six rebounds to pace Pitt State. She was the lone Gorillas player to score in double figures. Erin Davis added nine points, while Marine Bauza Rubert chipped in with seven.

Short handed Pitt State turned to a balanced attack to claim an 84-63 road win against Lincoln on Jan. 18 at Jason Gym at Jefferson City, Mo.

The Gorillas, minus starters Alexa Alvarado and Maya Williams from the lineup, had five players score in double figures as Pitt State pulled away in the second half.

Meghan Maher scored a season best 17 points, while Tristan Gegg added 17 points as well. Ashton McCorry posted career highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has four players averaging in double figures on the young season: sophomore guard Tristan Gegg (17.9 ppg), senior forward Athena Alvarado (15.3 ppg), junior guard Maya Williams (13.1 ppg) and and sophomore guard Kaylee DaMitz (12.7 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 44.2 percent from the field on the season (92-208) including 36.2 percent from 3-point range (38-105). She also is averaging 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game to date.

Gegg leads the MIAA in scoring, ranks third in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.361) and fourth in the MIAA in 3-point field goals (2.7 pg).

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 527 points in 46 career games for the Gorillas (11.5 ppg).

Alvarado is averaging 15.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 0.9 shots per game to date. For the season, Alvarado is shooting 60.4 percent from the field (99-164).

She ranks second in the MIAA in field goal percentage, sixth in the league in rebounding seventh in the conference in scoring and ninth in blocked shots.

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 920 points (8.9 ppg), grabbed 497 rebounds (4.8 rpg) and posted 115 blocked shots (1.1 bpg) in 104 career games for the Gorillas. Her 115 blocked shots rank fourth in school history.

Williams is averaging 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game to date. The Carthage, Mo., native is shooting 51.7 percent from the field (61-118). She ranks fifth in the MIAA in rebounding.

Williams was named the MIAA Co-Player of the Week  on Dec. 10 after averaging 14.5 points and 15.0 rebounds per game in a pair of wins vs. MSSU and WU. She scored 18 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds against the Ichabods.

She also 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 608 points (8.6 ppg) and grabbed 322 rebounds (4.5 rpg) in 71 career games for the Gorillas.

DaMitz is contributing 12.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. The Skyline, Mo., native leads the MIAA in assists and ranks third in the conference in free throw percentage (57-690, .826). She scored a career high 33 points vs. UNK on Jan. 4 and bosted back-to-back double doubles vs. NU (15 pts., 11 ast., Jan. 9) and vs. UCO (14 pts., 12 ast., Jan. 11).

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.

DaMitz has scored 469 points (10.2 ppg) and dished out 225 assists (4.9 apg) in 46 career games.

Senior forward Meghan Maher is averaging 6.4 points per game. She enjoyed 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 567 points (5.7 ppg) and grabbed 155 rebounds (1.6 rpg) in 99 career games.

Among Pitt State's reserves, sophomore guard Sydnee Crain is averaging 5.3 points and 2.3 assists per game, while senior forward Marina Bauza Rubert is scoring 4.6 points per game to date. Sophomore guard Erin Davis is contributing 3.0 points in nine games played, while redshirt freshman forward Ashton McCorry also is chipping in with 3.0 points and 2.6 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.

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.