KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team battled back from a 15-point first half deficit but came up just short in the end in a 71-69 loss in the quarterfinals of the 2020 MIAA Postseason Tournament Friday (Mar. 5) at Municipal Auditorium.

The No. 2 seed Hillcats (24-5) advance to the tournament semifinals on Saturday (Mar. 7), while the No. 10 seed Gorillas end their season with a 12-18 record.

Pitt State, which trailed 33-18 with 3:50 to play in the opening period, used a 23-7 run over the next six minutes of play to push in front, 41-40, with 17:41 remaining in the game on Christian Edmondson's inside basket. The Gorillas twice built five-point leads midway through the second half, the last, at 60-55, coming on a pair of free throws by Antonio Givens II with 9:13 remaining.

After RSU pushed its way back in front, the Gorillas took the final lead of the game, 65-64, on Marcel Cherry's fifth 3-point field goal with 2:44 to go.

Jah-Kobe Womack made two free throws with 20 seconds remaining in the game to knot the score at 69-69.

RSU's Tavian Davis was fouled with 2.2 seconds remaining and he hit two free throws for the game's final margin.

Pitt State got one final attempt to send the game to overtime but Womack's guarded 19 footer rimmed in and out at the buzzer.

Cherry led a balanced Pitt State offensive attack with 15 points. Womack and A.J. Walker added 11 points apiece with Walker chipping in with a game-high eight assists. Dejon Waters Jr. finished with nine points while Edmondson added eight points.

Marques Sumner led four Hillcats in double figures with a game-high 19 points. Christopher Miller added 13 points and seven rebounds.