PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will return to the friendly confines of John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court for a pair of games this week.

The Gorillas will battle undefeated and MIAA leading and No. 4 ranked University of Nebraska-Kearney Thursday (Jan. 21) at 5:30 p.m. (CST)and take on Fort Hays State University Saturday (Jan. 23) at 1:30 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 8-3 on the season. The Gorillas have won seven straight games to overcome a 1-3 start to the season. Pitt State scored a pair of road wins last week over Emporia State University (69-64 on Jan. 14) and Washburn University (69-61 in OT on Jan. 16).

UNK is 10-0 on the season, alone atop the MIAA standings and ranked No. 4 in the most recent D2SIDA Top 25 poll. The Lopers registered a decisive 59-34 home win over Northwest Missouri State University in their last action on Jan. 16.

FHSU is 7-2 on the year heading into a Thursday (Jan. 21) road match-up against Missouri Southern State University. The Lady Tigers dropped NWMSU, 74-49, at Hays in their last action on Jan. 14.

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 46-23 (.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. 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 (2004-20), the Gorillas have compiled a 329-183 overall record (.643), 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 match-up will be the 42nd meeting between the Gorillas and the Lopers. Pitt State holds a 28-13 edge in the series including a 16-5 advantage in games in Pittsburg. The Gorillas have won each of the last 10 match-ups against the Lopers at John Lance Arena.

Saturday's action will be the 60th all-time meeting between Pitt State and FHSU. The Lady Tigers hold a 33-26 advantage in the series. The Gorillas are 15-12 against FHSU in Pittsburg, including eight of the last nine encounters.

PSU at Home
Pitt State has posted a 120-29 (.805) record at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court the past 11 seasons, including a 4-1 mark this year. The Gorillas are 80-16 (.814) 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 (17.0 ppg) and Kaylee DaMitz (15.9 ppg) and senior forward Maya Williams (11.1 ppg).

Gegg is averaging a team-leading 17.0 points as well as 3.5 rebounds per game thus far. She matched her career high in scoring with 31 points on Dec. 10 against Lincoln and was named the MIAA Player of the Week on Dec. 14 for her efforts.

Gegg ranks third in the MIAA in 3-point field goals (2.3 pg), fifth in the league in scoring and seventh in the conference in free throw percentage (.880, 44-50) 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 894 points (13.3 ppg), grabbed 212 rebounds (3.2 rpg) and made 129 3-point field goals in 67 career games.

DaMitz is contributing 15.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. She currently leads the MIAA in assists, ranks second in the conference in free throw percentage (.936, 44-47) and eighth in the league in scoring.

DaMitz flirted with a triple-double against MWSU on Dec. 17, scoring 20 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing eight rebounds.

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, 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 813 points (12.0 ppg), grabbed 236 rebounds (3.5 rpg) and dished out 348 assists (5.1 apg) in 68 career games.

Williams is chipping in with 11.1 points and a team-leading 6.3 rebounds per game this season. She scored a season high 19 points vs. NSU (Dec. 5).

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 817 points (9.1 ppg) and grabbed 448 rebounds (5.0 rpg) in 90 career games for the Gorillas.

Additionally, four players are scoring between 4.3 and 7.6 points per game:  junior forward Julia Johnson (7.6 ppg), freshman guard Jayme Jackson (7.3 ppg), , junior guard Sydnee Crain (4.9 ppg) and junior forward Dana Johnson (4.3 ppg).

Julia Johnson has contributed 7.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game to date. She scored a career best 14 points and grabbed a career high 10 rebounds against WU on Jan. 16.

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.

Jackson has averaged 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game on the year. She posted 12 points and eight rebounds vs. LU on Dec. 10. She missed the Gorillas' game vs. NWMSU on Jan. 2.

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.

Crain is contributing 4.9 points and 2.5 assists per game on the season. She scored a career high 17 points vs. MWSU (Dec. 17).

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 310 points (4.5 ppg) and dished out 131 assists (1.9 apg) in 69 career games for the Gorillas.

Dana Johnson is contributing 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and shooting 70.0 percent from the field on the year (21-30). 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.

Junior guard Erin Davis (3.8 ppg), sophomore guard/forward Ashton McCorry (2.3 ppg) and redshirt freshman forward Shania Wilson(1.8 ppg) also are contributing between 1.8 and 3.8 points per game.

Davis, who has started the last three games for the Gorillas', scored a season high nine points vs. NWMSU (Jan. 2).

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.

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

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.