PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will travel to Arkadelphia, Ark., Wednesday (Nov. 24) to battle Henderson State University before returning to John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court Saturday (Nov. 27) to host Baker University.

The Gorillas will battle the Reddies at 2 p.m. (CST) Wednesday at the Duke Wells Center. Pitt State's action against the Wildcats Saturday has a 3:30 p.m. start time.

The Pitt State action can be heard on ESPN 100.7 FM radio, online at espn1007.com/ or through the ESPN 100.7 or KSHQ app for phones or mobile devices.

The Records
Pitt State brings an 0-4 record into the weekend action. The Gorillas dropped a pair of hard fought decisions – 71-62 to Truman State University on Nov. 19 and 81-72 to Southwest Baptist University on Nov. 20 – at the Chris Tucker Memorial Classic last weekend at Joplin, Mo.

Henderson State is 2-2 on the young season. The Reddies dropped an 81-80 road decision against the University of Arkansas Fort Smith the last time out Saturday (Nov. 20).

Baker is 3-3 on the year heading into a pair of home games Tuesday (Nov. 23) and Wednesday (Nov. 24) against Mount Mercy University and Bacone College.

Saturday's game will count as a regular season game for the Gorillas and an exhibition contest for the NAIA member Wildcats.

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his fifth season leading the Gorillas. He has compiled af 56-60 record 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.

He has a 357-222 (.617) overall record 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
Wednesday's action will mark the fourth all-time meeting between Pitt State and Henderson State. The Gorillas hold a 2-1 advantage in the series against the Reddie. The two teams last met on Dec. 18, 2019, with HSU prevailing, 88-78.

The Gorillas and the Wildcats will meet for the 26th time Saturday. PSU holds a 15-10 advantage in the series. The Gorillas posted a 98-61 victory in the last meeting on Dec. 29, 2018.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has two players scoring in double figures early in the season:  senior guard Iziah James, junior guard Tyler Hawkins and freshman forward Cameron Huefner.

James has contributed a team-leading 12.8 points per game so far. He is shooting 52.9 percent from the field (18-34), including 57.1 percent from 3-point range (8-14).

James (6-0, 180) transferred to Pitt State from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. He averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for the Cougars during the 2020-21 season.

Hawkins has contributed 11.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Hawkins (6-3, 175) joins the Gorillas from from Brookdale Community College, where he averaged 20.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for the Jersey Blues during the 2019-20 season.

Huefner is averaging 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in his second season in the Pitt State program. He is shooting 51.6 percent from the field (16-31) to date.

Huefner contributed 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a true freshman in 2020-21. He shot 51.1 percent from the floor (45-88), including 50.0 percent from 3-point range (14-28).

Huefner, an international player, signed with Pitt State from his native Australia. He averaged 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game for the Under 18 Norwood Flames.

Additionally, the Gorillas have four players scoring 5.0 or more points per game:  senior forward Zach Burch (8.8 ppg), junior guard Quentic Hardrict Jr. (8.0 ppg), graduate guard Ryan Pippins (6.3 pg) and redshirt sophomore R.J. Lawrencee (5.0 ppg).

Burch is averaging 8.8 points and shooting 62.5 percent (15-24) from the field so far. He also has a team-leading five blocked shots (1.3 bpg).

Burch contributed 6.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game last year, while shooting a team best 61.5 percent from the field (56-91). He also blocked a team-leading 13 shots.

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. 

Hardrict returned to action last week and averaged 8.0 points and 2.0 assists in the Gorillas' two games.

Hardrict contributed 10.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 2020-21. He shot 45.0 percent from the field (85-189) and garnered honorable mention All-MIAA honors. 

Hardrict (5-10, 160) 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 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 averaging 6.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Pippins chipped in with 8.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last year. He shot a team-leading 87.8 percent from the free throw line (43-49).

Pippins (6-0, 240) joined the Gorillas after four seasons at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. Pippins redshirted in 2019-20 while he battled back from an off season injury. 

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

Lawrence has contributed 5.0 points in two games played this season.

Lawrence (5-11, 145) averaged 4.8 points per game in 2020-21. The Blue Springs, Mo., native contributed 9.3 points for the Gorillas in 2019-20, before an injury cut short his season.

Graduate guard Dejon Waters Jr. graduate forward Antonio Givens II, freshman guard R.J. Forney and junior guard Ike Moore are contributing between 2.0 and 4.0 points per game.

Waters has averaged 3.8 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds per game.

Waters returned after excercising a medical redshirt season in 2020-21. Waters averaged 8.9 points while starting 22 games in 2019-20

Waters (6-4, 220) averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 rebounds per game in 2019-20. He shot 47.3 percent from 3-point range, making 44 of 93 long range shots.

The Atlanta, Ga., native transferred to Pitt State from Central Georgia Tech.

Givens is contributing 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in three games played.

Givens averaged 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game last year, starting eight of 20 games played. He shot 52.8 percent from the floor (57-108).

Givens (6-9, 260) averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in 2019-20, shooting 53.6 percent from the field (89-166). The Columbus, Ohio, native transferred to Pitt State from NCAA Division I Kent State University where he redshirted in 2018-19.

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

Givens averaged 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in Pitt State's two exhibition games this season.

Forney has chipped in with 2.0 points per game so far.

Forney started eight games and averaged 3.9 points per game as a true freshman in 2020-21. He made 23 3-point field goals on the season.

Forney (6-3, 175) came to Pitt State from Tulsa's Union High School, where he averaged 10.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists his senior year.

Moore scored four points in one game played for the Gorillas.

Moore averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 51.2 percent (42-82) from the field last year.

Moore (6-3, 175) transferred to Pitt State from Arkansas State University Mid-South. He averaged 16.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game as a sophomore for the Greyhounds.

The Gorillas also will look for graduate forward Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr. to be a key contributer. He has missed Pitt State's first four games.

Arthur-Williams (6-7, 225) averaged a team-leading 12.0 points and 6.7 rebounds a year ago, while starting 19 games for the Gorillas. He shot 45.8 percent from the field (70-153) and went to the foul line a team-leading 121 times on the season.

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.