PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team return to John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court for a pair of MIAA games this week. On Wednesday (Feb. 15), the Gorillas will host Missouri Western State University at 7:30 p.m. (CST). Pitt State will close out the week's action with a 3:30 p.m. match-up against No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State University.

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 9-13 overall and 5-8 in MIAA play.  The Gorillas split a pair of games on the road last week, posting a 77-74 victory against Emporia State University on Feb. 6 before falling, 76-75, to Washburn University on Feb. 8.

Western is 13-11 overall and 9-4 in the MIAA. The Griffons are riding a six-game winning streak including an 84-80 home win against the University of Central Missouri the last time out on Feb. 8.

Northwest is 22-1 overall, 12-1 in conference play and ranked No. 1 in the NABC/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll heading into a Thursday match-up against Missouri Southern State University. The Bearcats have won 14 straight games.

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his third season leading the Gorillas. He compiled a pair of 17-13 records in his first two seasons at Pitt State and he has a 43-39 (.524) overall record leading the Gorillas.

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 344-201 (.631) record in 19 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
Wednesday's action will mark the 77th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Griffons.  MWSU holds a slim, 39-37, advantage in the series, but Pitt State has won the last six games played at John Lance Arena.

On Saturday, Pitt State and NWMSU will meet for the 133rd time overall. The Gorillas lead the series, 69-64, including a 43-16 advantage in games played in Pittsburg. The Bearcats are 8-0 in the last eight games in the series overall.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have two players scoring in double figures on the season:  senior guards A.J. Walker (17.7 ppg) and Jah-Kobe Womack (13.1 ppg).

Walker (6-0, 165) made his season debut for the Gorillas vs. Henderson State on Dec. 18. In 15 games played, he is averaging 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He scored a career high 27 points in the Gorillas last outing against MSSU on Jan. 25.

Walker ranks third in the MIAA in 3-point field goal percentage (.430, 40-93), fourth in the conference in scoring and 3-point field goals (2.7 pg), sixth in the league in assists and seventh in steals (1.5 spg).

Walker started all 30 games during his junior campaign, averaging 7.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

The Kansas City, Mo., native transferred to Pitt State from State Fair Community College where he averaged 13.7 points and 7.0 assists per game during his sophomore campaign and earned honorable mention NJCAA All-America honors.

Womack is averaging 13.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game to date. He has made a team-leading 45 3-point field goals (2.0 pg). Womack (6-3, 175) scored a season high 27 points vs. Drury on Dec. 22.

 Womack transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division II member Quincy University for his senior campaign. The St. Louis, Mo., native averaged 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game during his junior campaign at Quincy, after redshirting in 2017-18. He made a team-leading 41 3-point field goals.

Womack averaged 10.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Allen County Community College in 2016-17. He averaged 19 points and six rebounds per game, earning first-team All-Conference honors as a senior in 2014-15 at Cardinal Ritter College Prep.

Junior forward Dejon Waters Jr. is contributing 9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game as well after joining the Gorillas from Central Georgia Technical College. He scored a season-high 21 points vs. Henderson State (Dec. 18) and he's shooting 47.2 percent from 3-point range (34-72).

Waters (6-4, 220) averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game as a sophomore at Central Georgia Tech. The Atlanta, Ga., native scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds a game as a senior at Shiloh High School.

Senior guard Marcel Cherry is averaging 9.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 20 games played. The Merrillville, Ind., native is shooting 45.71 percent from the field (64-140). He scored a career high 30 points on 12 of 17 shooting vs. MSSU on Dec. 3.

Cherry (6-1, 185) averaged 4.2 points and 1.7 assists per game in his first season in the Pitt State program in 2018-19.

Cherry averaged 7.7 points and 3.2 assists per game as a sophomore at Wabash Valley College in 2017-18. He posted 9.1 points per game as a freshman at Howard College, earning honorable mention All-Conference honors.

Junior forward Antonio Givens II has averaged 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game to date, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field (66-121). He transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division I Kent State University. Givens posted 22 points and eight rebounds against UNK on Jan. 4.

Givens (6-9, 260) redshirted in his only season at Kent State after playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at Wabash Valley College. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Warriors in 2017-18, shooting 62.5 percent from the field on the season.

Senior forward Christian Edmondson has averaged 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He is shooting a team-best 64.0 percent form the field, making 64 of 100 shots from the floor. Edmondson also has blocked 32 shots in 21 gamed played (1.5 bpg), ranking fourth in the MIAA in blocked shots. He also ranks ninth in the league in rebounding.

Edmondson (6-6, 215) posted career highs with 19 points and 18 rebounds in the Gorillas' season opener vs. Upper Iowa on Nov. 8.

Edmondson averaged 6.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game during his junior campaign. He saw action in 25 games, including eight starts, in the Pitt State frontcourt. The Flower Mound, Texas, native shot 64.9 percent from the field, making 74 of 114 shots from the field. He also grabbed a team-leading 54 offensive rebounds and recorded 32 blocked shots (1.3 bpg) on the season.

Edmondson has scored 462 points (5.3 ppg) and grabbed 373 rebounds (4.2 rpg) in 88 career games for the Gorillas.

Sophomore guard Ray Elliott is contributing 7.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. The Tulsa, Okla., native posted career highs of 20 points and nine rebounds in the Gorillas victory over Avila on Nov. 30.

Elliott (6-4, 165) saw action in all 30 games in a reserve role for the Gorillas in 2018-19, averaging 4.8 points per game. He made 27 3-point field goals on the year (27-83, .325).

Elliott 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.

Sophomore guard R.J. Lawrence is averaging 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in seven games played. He has missed the last 14 games due to injury.

Lawrence (5-11, 145) played in 17 contests during his freshman campaign, averaging 3.5 points per game. The Blue Springs, Mo., native shot 46.7 percent from the field (21-45) in limited action (7.6 minutes per game).

Lawrence was a three-time All-Conference and two-time All-District performer at Blue Springs High School.

Junior forward Xavier Womack is averaging 3.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in 17 contests for the Gorillas. The Johnson County Community College transfer posted a double-double in his season debut on Nov. 23 against BBC with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

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 and garnered second-team All-Jayhawk Conference honors.

Redshirt freshman guard Drew Roelfs has averaged 2.5 points in 12 games played. Roelfs (6-1, 180) scored a career high 18 points in the Gorillas' win against Baptist Bible College. The Pittsburg native has made 10 3-pointers on the season (10-25, .400).

Roelfs redshirted in his initial season in the Pitt State program in 2018-19. He earned All-League honors as a senior at Pittsburg High School.

Junior guard Grant Harding is averaging 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16 games played. He posted 17 points and five rebounds vs. BBC.

Harding (6-3, 219) transferred to Pitt State from Hesston College. The Louisburg, Kan., native started 60 games in the backcourt at Hesston. He averaged 17 points and seven rebounds a game as a senior at Louisburg High School.

Pitt State Probable Starters
  F  12  Dejon Waters Jr., 6-4, 220, Jr., Atlanta, Ga.
  F  33  Christian Edmondson, 6-6, 215, Sr., Flower Mound, Texas 
  G   1  A.J. Walker, 6-0, 165, Sr., Kansas City, Mo.
  G   3  Jah-Kobe Womack, 6-3, 175, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.
  G  11  Marcel Cherry, 6-1, 185, Sr., Merrillville, Ind.