PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will make its home debut this week when the Gorillas host a pair of MIAA games.

The Gorillas will entertain Rogers State University Thursday (Dec. 3) at 7:30 p.m. (CST) at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court and Pitt State will close out the week by hosting Northeastern State University Saturday (Dec. 5) at 3:30 p.m.

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 2-1 on the season. The Gorillas, who opened the season with a trio of road games, split a pair of contests last week. Pitt State picked up a 72-70 victory over Newman University at Wichita on Nov. 24, before the Gorillas dropped an 88-80 decision to the University of Central Missouri at Warrensburg on Nov. 28.

Rogers State is 0-2 on the year. The Hillcats last played on Nov. 21 when they dropped an 86-78 home decision to Northwest Missouri State University.

Northeastern State is 0-1 on the season heading into a Thursday (Dec. 3) road game against Missouri Southern State University. The RiverHawks dropped a 76-66 home decision to Emporia State University in their season debut Nov. 28.

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his fourth season leading the Gorillas. He has compiled a pair of 48-45 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 349-207 (.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
Pitt State and Rogers State will meet for just the third time in program history Thursday. The Hillcats swept both prior meetings from the Gorillas with both contests coming during the 2019-20 season – RSU's first year in the MIAA. The Hillcats beat the Gorillas, 80-72, at Claremore during the regular season on Jan. 27, 2020, and RSU elimited Pitt State in the second round of the MIAA Tournament with a 71-69 win at Kansas City, Mo., on Mar. 5, 2020.

On Saturday, Pitt State and NSU will meet for the 77th time overall. The Gorillas hold a 53-23 advantage in the series, including a 35-9 mark in games played in Pittsburg. Pitt State has won nine straight home games against the RiverHawks and 11 of the last 12 match-ups at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have two players averaging in double figures early in the season – junior forward Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr. (15.0 ppg) and junior guard Quentin Hardrict Jr. (14.3 ppg) – and two players contributing 9.0 points per game – senior guard Ryan Pippins and junior guard Martin Vogts.

Arthur-Williams (6-7, 225) is shooting 50.0 percent from the field on the season (15-30) and averaging a team-leading 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Arthur-Williams transferred 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 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.

Hardrict is averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, a team-leading 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game. He is shooting 51.7 percent from the field (14-27), including 55.6 percent from 3-point range (5-9).

Hardrict came 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.

Pippins is contributing 9.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He's a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line on the season.

Pippins joined 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.

Vogts is averaging 9.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game on the season.

Vogts came 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.

In addition to the Gorillas top four scorers, three more players are averaging between 6.7 and 7.7 points per game:  junior guard Ike Moore (7.7 ppg), senior forward Zach Burch (7.0 ppg) and senior forward Antonio Givens II (7.0 ppg).

Moore is averaging 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game and shooting 57.1 percent from the field (8-14).

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.

Burch is averaging 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 66.7 percent from the field to date (10-15).

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.

Givens is chipping in with 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a team-leading 2.5 steals per game on the year. He is shooting 50.0 percent from the field (7-14) and he has a team-best seven offensive rebounds to date.

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.

Redshirt sophomore R.J. Lawrence also is contributing 5.0 points per game on the season.

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.

Junior forward Gwarren Douglas Jr. is averaging 2.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game early in the season.

Douglas (6-8, 190) came 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.

Other Pitt State veterans in the lineup include sophomore guard Drew Roelfs and sophomore forward Ethan Holloway. 

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.

Freshman guard R.J. Forney Jr. and freshman forward Cameron Huefner also will look to contribute for the Gorillas.

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.

Huefner (6-7, 210) came 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.

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.