PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will hit the road for a pair of game this week. The Gorillas will travel to Tahlequah, Okla., Thursday (Jan. 28) to take on Northeastern State University and travel to Claremore, Okla., Saturday (Jan. 30) to battle Rogers State University.

Thursday's action will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. (CST) at Dobbins Fieldhouse, while Saturday's match-up gets started at 3:30 p.m. at the Claremore Expo Center.

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 6-7 on the season. The Gorillas split a pair of road games last week, falling 85-75 to the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 21 before bouncing back with a 79-68 win against Fort Hays State University on Jan. 23.

Northeastern State is 2-10 on the year. The RiverHawks have dropped three straight games, including a 91-76 road loss to Lincoln University in their last action last Saturday (Jan. 23).

Rogers State is 6-6 on the season. The Hillcats had a modest four-game losing streak snapped with a 77-64 road loss to the University of Central Missouri in their last match-up on Jan. 23.

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his fourth season leading the Gorillas. He has compiled a pair of 52-51 record in his first three seasons at Pitt State.

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. [for complete biography, see page 3]

He has a 353-213 (.624) record in 20 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
Thursday's match-up will mark the 78th all-time meeting between Pitt State and NSU. The Gorillas hold a 54-23 advantage in the series with a 17-14 edge in games played at Tahlequah. Pitt State defeated the RiverHawks, 81-71, in Pittsburg on Dec. 5.

On Saturday, the Gorillas and Hillcats will meet for the fourth time overall. RSU swept both match-ups last year and the Hillcats prevailed 87-80 in overtime over Pitt State in Pittsburg on Dec. 3.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have three players averaging in double figures on the season – junior forward Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr. (14.3 ppg) and junior guards Martin Vogts (11.5 ppg) and Quentin Hardrict Jr. (10.6 ppg) – and four players contributing 6.0 or more points per game – senior guard Ryan Pippins (7.6 ppg) and senior forwards Zach Burch (6.8 ppg) and Antonio Givens II (6.4 ppg) and junior guard Ike Moore (6.0 ppg).

Arthur-Williams (6-7, 225) is shooting 49.6 percent from the field (60-121) on the season and averaging a team-leading 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He ranks seventh in the MIAA in rebounding and 12th in scoring.

Arthur-Williams was named the MIAA Player of the Week on Dec. 21 after  contributing 23 points and nine rebounds against MWSU on Dec. 17.

Arthur-Williams transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He redshirted at MKE in 2019-20, after averaging 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as a junior in 2018-19.

Arthur-Williams averaged 17.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Redlands Community College. The Potomac, Md., native played his freshman season at Louisburg (N.C.) College.

Vogts is averaging 11.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game on the season. He has made a team-leading 29 3-point field goals (29-76, .382). Vogts scored a season high 26 points vs. MSSU (Jan. 9). He ranks 10th in the MIAA in 3-point field goals (2.2 pg).

Vogts came to Pitt State after two seasons at Barton Community College. The Manhattan, Kan., native averaged 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds an 2.0 assist per game as a sophomore in 2019-20.

Vogts (6-1, 175) contributed 8.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game as a freshman for the Cougars.

Hardrict is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and a team-leading 2.3 assists per game. Hardrict scored a season best 27 points vs. NWMSU (Jan. 2).

Hardrict came to Pitt State from North Iowa Area Community College.

The Minneapolis, Minn., native was a two-time All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference selection. Hardrict (5-10, 160) averaged 16.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game as a sophomore in 2019-20. 

He contributed 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game during his freshman season.

Pippins is contributing 7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He's 23-for-27 (.852) from the free throw line on the season. Pippins scored 14 points and dished out five assists vs. UNK (Jan. 21).

Pippins joined the Gorillas after four seasons at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. Pippins (6-0, 240) redshirted during the 2019-20 while he battled back from an off season injury. He scored 15 points in his Pitt State debut against the Bronchos.

The Little Rock, Ark., native avearged 5.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a junior in 2018-19.

Burch is averaging 6.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 65.5 percent from the field to date (38-58). He also has blocked nine shots thus far (0.7 bpg). He scored a season high 14 points vs. NSU (Dec. 5).

Burch (6-6, 225) transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division II member Rockhurst University. The Butler, Mo., native contributed 2.7 points and 1.6 rebounds per  game during the 2018-19 season for the Hawks. 

Givens is chipping in with 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds on the year. He is shooting 51.1 percent from the field (24-47). Givens scored a season-best 16 points vs. NSU (Dec. 5).

Givens averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last year, after transferring to Pitt State from NCAA Division I Kent State University, where he redshirted in 2018-19.

Givens (6-9, 260) shot 53.6 percent from the field last year, converting 89 of 166 shots from the floor.

He averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Wabash Valley College in 2017-18.

Moore is averaging 6.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game and shooting 51.8 percent from the field (29-56). He has converted 12 of 27 3-point field goals (.444). He scored a season high 16 points vs. NSU (Dec. 5).

Moore transferred to Pitt State after two seasons at Arkansas State University Mid South.

Moore (6-3, 175) averaged 16.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game as a sophomore for the Greyhounds in 2019-20. 

The Fort Smith, Ark., native averaged 9.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game during his freshman campaign.

Two more players – redshirt sophomore guard R.J. Lawrence and freshman forward Cameron Huefner – are scoring between 5.1 and 5.3 points per game.

Lawrence is averaging 5.3 points and 1.2 assists per game on the season.

Lawrence averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists per game last year, before an injury cut short his sophomore campaign and forced him to exercise a medical redshirt.

The Blue Springs, Mo., native contributed 3.5 points per game as a freshman in 2018-19.

Huefner (6-7, 210) is contributing 5.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. He scored a season best 15 points vs. ESU (Jan. 14).

Freshman guard R.J. Forney Jr. (6-3, 175) has started five games and averaged 3.1 points per game.

Other Pitt State veterans in the lineup include sophomore guard Drew Roelfs and sophomore forward Ethan Holloway. 

Roelfs (6-1, 180), a Pittsburg native, started three games in 2019-20, averaging 2.3 points per game.

Holloway (6-8, 200), from Iola, Kan., saw action in eight games in a reserve role for the Gorillas last year.

Pitt State Probable Starters
  F   2  Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr., 6-7, 225, Gr., Potomac, Md.
  F  34  Zach Burch, 6-6, 225, Sr., Butler, Mo.
  G   5  Quentin Hardrict Jr., 5-10, 160, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.
  G  11  Martin Vogts, 6-1, 175, Jr., Manhattan, Kan.
  G  22  Ryan Pippins, 6-0, 240, Gr., Little Rock, Ark.