PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will hit the road for a pair of MIAA games this week. The Gorillas will travel to Wichita, Kan., Tuesday (Nov. 24) to battle Newman University at 7:30 p.m. (CST) and then head to Warrensburg, Mo., Saturday (Nov. 28) for a 3 p.m. match-up against the University of Central Missouri.

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 1-0 on the season. The Gorillas opened the 2020-21 campaign with a 77-66 road win against the University of Central Oklahoma at Edmond, Okla., last Saturday (Nov. 21).

Newman is 0-1 on the year. The Jets dropped an 82-79 home decision in their season opener against Missouri Southern State University last Saturday (Nov. 21).

Central Missouri is 0-1 heading into a Tuesday (Nov. 24) home match-up against MSSU Tuesday. The Mules fell, 86-80, to Lincoln University last Saturday at Jefferson City, Mo.

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson enters his fourth season leading the Gorillas. He has compiled a pair of 47-44 record in his first three 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 348-206 (.628) record in 20 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 match-up will be the 30th meeting between the Gorillas and the Jets. Pitt State holds a 17-12 advatange in the series. The Gorillas claimed a 65-62 win against NU in the last meeting on Jan. 9, 2020.

On Saturday, Pitt State and UCM will meet for the 121st time overall. The Mules lead the series, 73-46, but the Gorillas swept the season series a year ago.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas welcome back three players who started 10 or more games in 2019-20:  senior forward Dejon Waters Jr. (8.9 ppg), senior forward Antonio Givens II (8.2 ppg) and senior forward Xavier Womack (4.9 ppg). Two other players – junior guard Ray Elliott (6.7 ppg) and redshirt sophomore guard R.J. Lawrence (9.3 ppg) – started five games apiece a year ago.

Waters (6-4, 220) averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 rebounds per game as a junior in 2019-20. He shot 47.3 percent from 3-point range, making 44 of 93 long range shots.

The Atlanta, Ga., native transferred to Pitt State from Central Georgia Tech.

Givens averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last year, after transferring to Pitt State from NCAA Division I Kent State University, where he redshirted in 2018-19.

Givens (6-9, 260) shot 53.6 percent from the field last year, converting 89 of 166 shots from the floor.

He averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Wabash Valley College in 2017-18.

Womack contributed 4.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last year, after transferring to Pitt State from Johnson County Community College

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.

Elliott averaged 6.7 points per game and made 28 3-point field goals in 2019-20. The Tulsa, Okla., native contributed 4.8 points per game as a freshman in 2018-19.

Elliott (6-4, 165) 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 averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists per game last year, before an injury cut short his sophomore campaign and forced him to exercise a medical redshirt.

The Blue Springs, Mo., native contributed 3.5 points per game as a freshman in 2018-19.

Sophomore guard Drew Roelfs and sophomore forward Ethan Holloway also return to the Pitt State lineup.

Roelfs (6-1, 180), a Pittsburg native, started three games in 2019-20, averaging 2.3 points per game.

Holloway (6-8, 200), from Iola, Kan., saw action in eight games in a reserve role for the Gorillas last year.

In addition to the veteran players, the Gorillas are infusing nine newcomers into the Pitt State lineup:  senior forward Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr., junior forward Gwarren Douglas Jr., junior guard Ike Moore, junior guard Quentin Hardrict Jr., freshman guard R.J. Forney Jr., junior guard Martin Vogts, senior guard Ryan Pippins, freshman forward Cameron Huefner and senior forward Zach Burch.

Arthur-Williams comes to Pitt State from NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He redshirted at MKE in 2019-20, after averaging 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as a junior in 2018-19. Arthur-Williams scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in his Pitt State debut vs. UCO.

Arthur-Williams (6-7, 225) averaged 17.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Redlands Community College. The Potomac, Md., native played his freshman season at Louisburg (N.C.) College.

Douglas (6-8, 190) comes to Pitt State from Angelina College where he averaged 9.1 points per game and helped the Roadrunners to a 24-9 record and an NJCAA Division I National Tournament appearance in 2019-20.

The Cleveland, Ohio, native played his freshman season at New Mexico Military Institute, averaging 12.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Moore transferred to Pitt State after two seasons at Arkansas State University Mid South.

Moore (6-3, 175) averaged 16.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game as a sophomore for the Greyhounds in 2019-20. The Fort Smith, Ark., native averaged 9.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game during his freshman campaign.

Hardrict comes to Pitt State from North Iowa Area Community College.

The Minneapolis, Minn., native was a two-time All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference selection. Hardrict (5-10, 160) averaged 16.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game as a sophomore in 2019-20. Hardrict scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed five rebounds in his Pitt State debut against the Bronchos.

He contributed 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game during his freshman season.

Forney (6-3, 175) signed with Pitt State out of Tulsa's Union High School.  He averaged 10.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a senior helping Union to a 21-5 record.

Vogts comes to Pitt State after two seasons at Barton Community College. The Manhattan, Kan., native averaged 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds an 2.0 assist per game as a sophomore in 2019-20. He scored nine points in the Gorillas season opener against UCO.

Vogts (6-1, 175) contributed 8.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game as a freshman for the Cougars.

Pippins joins the Gorillas after four seasons at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. Pippins (6-0, 240) redshirted during the 2019-20 while he battled back from an off season injury. He scored 15 points in his Pitt State debut against the Bronchos.

The Little Rock, Ark., native avearged 5.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a junior in 2018-19.

Huefner (6-7, 210) comes to Pitt State from his native Australia. He averaged 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game for the under 18 Norwood Flames. 

He also competed for the Norwood Men's Premier League team.

Burch (6-6, 225) transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division II member Rockhurst University. The Butler, Mo., native contributed 2.7 points and 1.6 rebounds per  game during the 2018-19 season for the Hawks. He scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in the season opener against UCO.

Pitt State Probable Starters
  F   2  Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr., 6-7, 225, Gr., Potomac, Md.
  F  15  Antonio Givens II, 6-9, 260, Gr., Columbus, Ohio
  G   5  Quentin Hardrict Jr., 5-10, 160, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.
  G  11  Martin Vogts, 6-1, 175, Jr., Manhattan, Kan.
  G  22  Ryan Pippins, 6-0, 240, Gr., Little Rock, Ark.