PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will return to John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court for a pair of games to close out the regular season. The Gorillas will host MIAA rival Emporia State University Thursday (Feb. 25) at 7:30 p.m. (CST) and then entertain Newman University Saturday (Feb. 27) at 3:30 p.m. in the regular season finale.

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 is 10-10 and tied for eighth place in the MIAA standings (with Rogers State University) with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Gorillas dropped a 94-74 road decision to Missouri Southern State University in their only game last week. Pitt State is seeking to halt a three-game slide Thursday against the Hornets.

Emporia State is 9-10 on the season heading into a Wednesday (Feb. 24) home match-up against Northeastern State University. The Hornets snapped a three-game slide with an 82-71 home win over Missouri Western State University last Saturday (Feb. 20).

Newman is 3-17 on the season heading into a Thursday (Feb. 24) road game against Lincoln University. The Jets dropped an 85-72 decision to Rogers State in their last outing on Feb. 20.

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his fourth season leading the Gorillas. He has compiled a 56-54 record in his first three-plus 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. 

He has a 357-216 (.623) 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 action will mark the 198th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Hornets. ESU leads the series 99-97, but Pitt State holds a 57-35 edge in games played in Pittsburg. The Hornets defeated the Gorillas, 75-72, at Emporia on Jan. 14.

Pitt State and NU will meet for the 31st time Saturday. The Gorillas are 18-12 against the Jets including a 72-70 road win at Wichita on Nov. 24, 2020.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have three players averaging in double figures on the season – junior forward Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr. (12.5 ppg) and junior guards Martin Vogts (11.8 ppg) and Quentin Hardrict Jr. (10.8 ppg) – and six players contributing 5.3 or more points per game – senior guard Ryan Pippins (8.6 ppg), senior forwards Antonio Givens II (7.6 ppg) and Zach Burch (7.2 ppg), freshman forward Cameron Huefner (5.9 ppg), junior guard Ike Moore (5.7 ppg) and redshirt sophomore guard R.J. Lawrence (5.3 ppg).

Arthur-Williams (6-7, 225) is shooting 47.5 percent from the field (67-141) on the season and averaging a team-leading 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He ranks ninth in the MIAA in rebounding.

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. He has missed the last three games due to injury (foot).

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 11.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a team-leading 1.8 steals per game on the season. He has made a team-leading 46 3-point field goals (46-114, .404). Vogts scored a season high 26 points vs. MSSU (Jan. 9). He ranks 10th in the MIAA in 3-point field goals (2.3 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 10.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and a team-leading 2.9 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 8.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He's 39-for-43 (.907) from the free throw line on the season. Pippins scored a season high 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds vs. UCM (Feb. 4).

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 averaged 5.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a junior in 2018-19.

Givens is chipping in with 7.6 points and 2.9 rebounds on the year. He is shooting 54.5 percent from the field (48-88). Givens scored a season-best 20 points vs. LU (Feb. 6) and MWSU (Feb. 13).

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.

Burch is averaging 7.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 64.3 percent from the field to date (54-84). He also has blocked 13 shots thus far (0.7 bpg). Burch scored a season high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds vs. NSU (Jan. 28).

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. 

Huefner (6-7, 210) is contributing 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. The native of Adelaide, Australia is shoting 50.0 percent from the field (37-74) and has made 11 of 22 3-point field goals (.500). He scored a season best 19 points vs. RSU (Jan. 30).

Moore is averaging 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game and shooting 51.9 percent from the field (42-81). He has converted 17 of 37 3-point field goals (.459). 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.

Lawrence is averaging 5.3 points per game on the season. He scored 14 points vs. MSSU (Feb. 20).

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.

Two more players – sophomore forward Ethan Holloway and freshman guard R.J. Forney Jr. – are scoring between 3.8 and 3.9 points per game.

Holloway has averaged 3.9 points per game in seven contests for PSU. He scored a career high 21 points vs. NWMSU (Feb. 11).

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

Forney (6-3, 175) has started five games and averaged 3.8 points per game.

Sophomore guard Drew Roelfs also has seen action in four games for the Gorillas. 

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

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.