PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will travel to Kansas City, Mo., open play in the 2020 MIAA Postseason Tournament Friday (Mar. 6) at historic Municipal Auditorium.

The Gorillas, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, will face No. 5 seed Fort Hays State University Friday at Noon (CST).

Friday's MIAA Tournament quarterfinal game 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. All MIAA Tournament games also will be live streamed at themiaanetwork.com.

Gorilla fans can purchase tickets at the Pitt State Ticket Office or by calling (620) 235-4796. Advance tickets for all-session passes for all 18 men's and women's games to be played at Kansas City are $50. The price increases to $75 if purchased in Kansas City or through ticketmaster.com. Single session tickets also are available for $20 for adults and $5 for PSU students with a valid ID. Local sales will run through Noon, Tuesday (Mar. 3).

The Records
Pitt State finished the regular season with a 17-10 overall record and 13-6 mark in MIAA play. The Gorillas won five of their last six games to finish in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings and earn the No. 4 seed for the MIAA Tournament.

Fort Hays State is 22-6 overall and 13-6 in MIAA play. The Lady Tigers tied with Pitt State and Missouri Western for fourth place in the conference standings. FHSU enters the MIAA Tournament on a five-game winning streak.

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 38-19 (.667) 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 321-179 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
Pitt State and FHSU will meet for the 59th time in program history Friday in the MIAA Tournament.  The Lady Tigers hold a 32-26 advantage in the series. This will mark the third time the two teams meet in the MIAA Tournament.  The Gorillas claimed a 90-74 win on Mar. 5, 2016, and the Tigers returned the favor with a 52-46 decision on Mar. 3, 2018.

Pitt State rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit but came up just short in a 75-74 loss to No. 16 ranked Fort Hays State on Jan. 6 at Hays, Kan.

Athena Alvarado led all scorers with 21 points in the game for the Gorillas. Tristan Gegg (12), Maya Williams (11) and Kaylee DaMitz (10) also scored in double figures for Pitt State. The Gorillas shot 60.7 percent from the field in the game (34-56) but were victimized by 16 turnovers.

FHSU got 15 points from Whitney Randall and 14 more from Cydney Bergmann. The Lady Tigers shot 48.2 percent from the field (27-56) and FHSU outscored Pitt State, 17-5, at the free throw line in the contest.

Gorillas in the MIAA Tournament
Pitt State is making its 29th appearance in the MIAA Postseason Tournament. The Gorillas have compiled a 12-28 (.300) record in 40 MIAA Tournament games and reached the Finals of the tournament twice, in 1992 and 2016.

Pitt State has compiled a 6-16 (.273) record in MIAA Tournament games played at Municipal Auditorium.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has four players averaging in double figures on the young season: sophomore guard Tristan Gegg (18.5 ppg), sophomore guard Kaylee DaMitz (13.5 ppg), senior forward Athena Alvarado (13.4 ppg) and junior guard Maya Williams (11.6 ppg).

Gegg scored 28 points on back-to-back nights against OBU and SWOSU to open the season and she tallied a career high 31 points vs. WU (Feb. 8).  The Altamont, Kan., native is shooting 42.9 percent from the field on the season (163-380) including 35.2 percent from 3-point range (64-182). She also is averaging 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game to date.

Gegg leads the MIAA in scoring and free throw percentage (73-82, .890), ranks second in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.352) and fourth 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 704 points in 55 career games for the Gorillas (12.8 ppg).

DaMitz is contributing 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. The Skyline, Mo., native leads the MIAA in assists and ranks third in the conference in free throw percentage (110-128, .859). 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 608 points (10.9 ppg) and dished out 281 assists (5.0 apg) in 56 career games.

Alvarado is averaging 13.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 0.9 shots per game to date. For the season, Alvarado is shooting 57.7 percent from the field (146-253).

She ranks second in the MIAA in field goal percentage,fifth in the league in rebounding and ninth 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 1,040 points (9.0 ppg), grabbed 584 rebounds (5.1 rpg) and posted 125 blocked shots (1.1 bpg) in 115 career games for the Gorillas. Her 125 blocked shots rank fourth in school history. She became the 20th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points and the eighth player in program history to reach 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds.

Williams is averaging 11.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in 22 games played. The Carthage, Mo., native is shooting 47.9 percent from the field (91-190). She ranks eighth 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 694 points (8.7 ppg) and grabbed 376 rebounds (4.7 rpg) in 80 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 647 points (5.9 ppg) and grabbed 184 rebounds (1.7 rpg) in 110 career games.

Among Pitt State's reserves, sophomore guard Sydnee Crain is averaging 5.6 points and 2.2 assists per game, while senior forward Marina Bauza Rubert is scoring 3.7 points per game to date. Sophomore guard Erin Davis is contributing 3.1 points in 17 games played, while redshirt freshman forward Ashton McCorry also is chipping in with 2.8 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   1  Maya Williams, 5-9, Jr., Carthage, Mo.
  G   2  Kaylee DaMitz, 5-4, So., Preston, Mo.  
  G  10  Tristan Gegg, 5-7, So., Altamont, Kan.