PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will hit the road for a pair of MIAA match-ups against in-state rivals Emporia State University and Washburn University. On Wednesday (Feb. 5), the Gorillas will battle the Lady Hornets at 5:30 p.m. (CST) at W.L. White Auditorium in Emporia. Pitt State then will travel to Topeka Saturday (Feb. 8) to take on the Ichabods at Lee Arena at 1 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 12-7 overall and 8-3 in MIAA action on the season. The Gorillas have posted four consecutive wins to climb into a tie for third place in the MIAA standings (with ESU). Pitt State rolled to an 86-56 home victory over Northeastern State University the last time out on Feb. 1.

Emporia State is 15-5 overall and 8-3 in the MIAA. The Lady Hornets split a pair of games last week, dropping a 70-66 decision to the University of Central Missouri before bouncing back with a 67-58 win over Lincoln University.

Washburn is 11-9 overall and 5-6 in conference action heading into a Thursday match-up against Missouri Southern State University. The Ichabods dropped an 83-68 decision to UCM in their most recent action on Feb. 1.

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 33-16 (.673) 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 316-176 overall record (.642), 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
Wednesday's action will mark the92nd all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Lady Hornets. ESU holds a 62-29 advantage in the series, including a 30-11 edge in games played at Emporia. PSU is 5-3 against the Lady Hornets in the last eight games played at White Auditorium.

On Saturday, Pitt State and WU will meet for the 88th time overall. The Ichabods hold a 53-34 lead in the series, but the Gorillas have defeated WU in each of the last three meetings at Lee Arena.

Pitt State's Last Action
Kaylee DaMitz and Tristan Gegg combined for 45 points and Pitt State held off Rogers State, 91-73, on Jan. 29 at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

Pitt State built a 24-point third quarter lead against RSU only to see the Hillcats battled back to trail by just nine, 78-69, with 4:33 to play in the game. The Gorillas closed out the contest on a 13-4 run to end the threat.

DaMitz finished the game with 24 points, six rebounds and eight assists, while Gegg added 21 points and eight rebounds. Meghan Maher and Sydnee Crain added 11 points apiece. 

Athena Alvarado posted a double double with game highs of 20 points and 14 rebounds to help power Pitt State to an 86-56 victory over Northeastern State on Feb. 1.

The Gorillas rushed out to a 20-6 first quarter lead and never looked back against the RiverHawks.

Alvarado made nine of 11 shots from the field as Pitt State shot 54 percent overall in the game (34-63). Gegg added 16 points, while DaMitz posted 14 points and a game high nine assists. Maher also finished in double figures with10 points for the Gorillas.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has four players averaging in double figures on the young season: sophomore guard Tristan Gegg (18.4 ppg), senior forward Athena Alvarado (14.6 ppg), sophomore guard Kaylee DaMitz (13.8 ppg) and junior guard Maya Williams (12.9 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 43.5 percent from the field on the season (110-253) including 37.0 percent from 3-point range (47-127). She also is averaging 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game to date.

Gegg leads the MIAA in scoring and free throw percentage (50-56, .893), ranks second in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.368) and tied for third in the MIAA in 3-point field goals (2.6 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 591 points in 49 career games for the Gorillas (12.1 ppg).

Alvarado is averaging 14.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.0 shots per game to date. For the season, Alvarado is shooting 59.8 percent from the field (113-189).

She leads the MIAA in field goal percentage, ranks sixth in the league in rebounding and seventh in the conference 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 954 points (8.9 ppg), grabbed 525 rebounds (4.9 rpg) and posted 119 blocked shots (1.1 bpg) in 107 career games for the Gorillas. Her 119 blocked shots rank fourth in school history.

DaMitz is contributing 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. The Skyline, Mo., native leads the MIAA in assists and ranks second in the conference in free throw percentage (81-95, .853). 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 528 points (10.8 ppg) and dished out 250 assists (5.1 apg) in 49 career games.

Williams is averaging 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds in 14 games played. She has missed the last four games due to injury. The Carthage, Mo., native is shooting 51.6 percent from the field (65-126). She ranks seventh 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 619 points (8.6 ppg) and grabbed 326 rebounds (4.5 rpg) in 72 career games for the Gorillas.

Senior forward Meghan Maher is averaging 6.8 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 594 points (5.8 ppg) and grabbed 160 rebounds (1.6 rpg) in 102 career games.

Among Pitt State's reserves, sophomore guard Sydnee Crain is averaging 5.6 points and 2.4 assists per game, while senior forward Marina Bauza Rubert is scoring 4.7 points per game to date. Sophomore guard Erin Davis is contributing 3.5 points in nine games played, while redshirt freshman forward Ashton McCorry also is chipping in with 3.1 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   2  Kaylee DaMitz, 5-4, So., Preston, Mo.  
  G  10  Tristan Gegg, 5-7, So., Altamont, Kan.
  G  23  Sydnee Crain, 5-8, So., Girard, Kan.