PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will return to the friendly confines of John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court to host MIAA rival Missouri Western State University Thursday (Dec. 17). Tip-off is set for 5:30 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 Gorillas Saturday (Dec. 19) match-up with Northwest Missouri State University has been postponed until Jan. 2 due to Covid-19 protocols within the NWMSU program.

The Records
Pitt State is 3-3 on the season. The Gorillas claimed an 83-76 road win over Lincoln University last Thursday (Dec. 10) at Jefferson City, Mo., in their only action last week.

Missouri Western is 2-3 on the year. The Griffons dropped a last-second, 51-50, home decision to Northwest Missouri State University in their last action on Saturday (Dec. 12).

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

She has a 41-23 (.641) 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. The Gorillas posted a 17-11 record last year.

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 (2004-19), the Gorillas have compiled a 324-183 overall record (.639), 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
Thursday's action will mark the 82nd all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Griffons. MWSU holds a 51-30 advantage in the series, but Pitt State has won five straight at home and 10 of the last 11 meetings in Pittsburg.

Last year, the Gorillas swept a pair of tightly contested games, claiming a 74-71 win in Pittsburg on Feb. 12 and a 61-59 road win a week later.

PSU at Home
Pitt State has posted a 117-29 (.801) record at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court the past 11 seasons, including a 1-1 mark this year.  The Gorillas are 77-18 (.811) at home since the start of the 2014 campaign.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has three players averaging in double figures early in the season:  junior guards Tristan Gegg (17.8 ppg) and Kaylee DaMitz (16.3 ppg) and senior forward Maya Williams (10.2 ppg).  

Gegg is contributing a team-leading 17.8 points as well as 3.3 rebounds per game thus far. She matched her career high in scoring with 31 points last Thursday (Dec. 10) against Lincoln and was named the MIAA Player of the Week Monday (Dec. 14) for her efforts.

Gegg leads the MIAA in free throw percentage (.966, 28-29) and ranks fifth in the conference in scoring and sixth in 3-point field goals (2.2 pg) to date.

Gegg averaged 17.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 2019-20, earning third-team All-MIAA honors. She scored 20 or more points 10 times on the year. The Altamont, Kan., native led the MIAA in scoring and free throw percentage (.881, 74-84) and ranked fifth in the conference in 3-point field goals (2.5 pg).

Gegg averaged averaged 8.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2018-19.

She has scored 814 points (13.1 ppg), grabbed 193 rebounds (3.1 rpg) and made 117 3-point field goals in 62 career games.

DaMitz is averaging 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game. She currently ranks third in the MIAA in assists and 10th in the conference in scoring.

DaMitz garnered first-team All-MIAA honors last season. The Skyline, Mo., native averaged 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. She led the MIAA in assists and ranked 13th in the conference in scoring. DaMitz scored a season high 22 points against UCO on Nov. 28.

DaMitz, a two-time All-MIAA performer, was the 2018-19 MIAA Freshman of the Year after contributing 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during her rookie campaign.

For her career, DaMitz has scored 736 points (11.7 ppg), grabbed 214 rebounds (3.4 rpg) and dished out 311 assists (4.9 apg) in 63 career games.

Williams is chipping in with 10.2 points and a team-leading 6.2 rebounds per game this season. She scored a season high 19 points vs. NSU (Dec. 5) but missed the Gorillas last game vs. LU.

Williams averaged 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season. She posted six double doubles and shot 47.8 percent from the field (96-201) on the year. Williams scored nine points in the season opener against UCO.

The Carthage, Mo., native earned third-team All-MIAA honors as a sophomore in 2018-19 when she averaged a team-leading 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Williams has scored 757 points (8.9 ppg) and grabbed 416 rebounds (4.9 rpg) in 85 career games for the Gorillas.

Additionally, four players are scoring between 3.7 and 7.0 points per game:  freshman guard Jayme Jackson (7.0 ppg), junior forwards Dana Johnson (6.3 ppg) and Julia Johnson (4.4 ppg) and junior guard Sydnee Crain (3.7 ppg).

Jackson has averaged 7.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game through her first six collegiate contests. She posted 12 points and eight rebounds vs. LU last Thursday (Dec. 10).

Jackson came to Pitt State from Liberty (Mo.) North High School. She was a two-time All-Conference performer and she averaged nine points, three rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game last year. Jackson scored three points and grabbed four rebounds vs. UCO.

Dana Johnson is contributing 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and shooting 77.3 percent from the field on the year (17-22). She contributed 10 points and seven rebounds against LU on Dec. 10.

Johnson transferred to Pitt State from Butler Community College. She helped the Grizzlies to a pair of Kansas Jayhawk Conference titles and regional crowns. Johnson averaged 4.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game during her sophomore campaign.

Julia Johnson has contributed 4.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game to date. She scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds against NSU on Dec. 5.

Johnson averaged 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 25 games played in 2019-20. 

Johnson joined the Gorillas from Johnson County Community College. The DeSoto, Kan., native, averaged 5.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while starting 29 of 32 games for the Cavaliers as a redshirt freshman in 2018-19.

Crain is contributing 3.7 points and 1.7 assists per game on the season.

Crain started nine games for the Gorillas last year, contributing 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

The Girard, Kan., native chipped in with 3.4 points and 1.4 assists per game during her rookie season in 2018-19.

She has scored 278 points (4.3 ppg) and dished out 113 assists (1.8 apg) in 64 career games for the Gorillas.

Redshirt freshman forward Shania Wilson, sophomore guard/forward Ashton McCorry and junior guard Erin Davis all are contributing 2.0 points per game.

Wilson averaged 11.3 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game as a senior at Bentonville (Ark.) West High School.

Davis averaged 3.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game in 17 contests a year ago, while McCorry contributed 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last year.

Pitt State Probable Starters
  F   1  Maya Williams, 5-10, Sr., Carthage, Mo. 
  F  21  Julia Johnson, 6-1, Jr., DeSoto, Kan.
  G   2  Kaylee DaMitz, 5-5, Jr., Preston, Mo.
  G  10  Tristan Gegg, 5-7, Jr., Altamont, Kan.  
  G  23  Sydnee Crain, 5-8, Jr., Girard, Kan.