PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court for a pair of MIAA games this week. The Gorillas will host Emporia State University Thursday (Jan. 13) at 5:30 p.m. (CST) and entertain Washburn University Saturday (Jan. 15) at 1:30 p.m.
The Pitt State-ESU game originally was scheduled for Wednesday (Jan. 12) but it was pushed back a day after the Gorillas and Lady Hornets both underwent Covid-19 protocols and postponed games scheduled last week.
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 9-5 overall and 4-4 in MIAA play heading into Thursday's action. The Gorillas had to postpone their game scheduled last Saturday (Jan. 8) at Joplin, Mo., against Missouri Southern State University.
Emporia State is 9-5 overall and 4-4 in MIAA play heading into Thursday's match-up against the Gorillas. The Lady Hornets also had to postpone a pair of home games last week due to Covid-19 protocols.
WU is 5-7 overall and 3-3 in the MIAA heading into a Thursday (Jan. 13) road game against MSSU.
Head Coach Amanda Davied
Amanda Davied is in her fourth year as head coach at Pittsburg State after being hired to the position on May 21, 2018.
She has a 61-34 (.642) 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 in 2019-20 and a 14-9 mark during the Covid-19 abbreviated 2020-21 campaign.
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-pres.), the Gorillas have compiled a 344-194 overall record (.639), 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.
Gorillas at Home
Pitt State has posted a 126-35 (.783) record at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court the past 13 seasons, including a 4-2 mark this year. The Gorillas are 86-24 (.782) at home since the start of the 2014 campaign.
Pitt State's all-time home record stands at 392-194 (.669).
Series History
Thursday's action will mark the 95th all-time meeting between Pitt State and ESU. The Lady Hornets hold a 64-30 advantage in the series, including a 28-17 edge in games played in Pittsburg. ESU has won the last four match-ups at John Lance Arena including a 65-58 victory on Feb. 25, 2021.
Pitt State and WU will meet for the 91st time Saturday. The Ichabods lead the series, 54-36, but the Gorillas have won five of the last six meetings at John Lance Arena.
Scouting the Gorillas
Senior guard Tristan Gegg leads the Gorillas in scoring on the season. She currently ranks fifth in the MIAA in scoring, averaging 17.8 points per game, and she leads the conference in 3-point field goals (2.6 pg).
Gegg also is contributing 3.1 rebounds per game. She is shooting 46.2 percent (85-184) from the field, 40.0 percent from 3-point range (36-90) and 89.6 percent (43-48) from the free throw line, the top percentage in the MIAA to date.
Gegg scored a career-high 36 points in Pitt State's season-opening win against Oklahoma Baptist Nov. 12.
A two-time All-MIAA performer, Gegg started all 23 games last year, averaging 15.8 points and 4.3 rebounds and earning second-team All-MIAA honors. She made a team-leading 43 3-point field goals and shot 90.2 percent (83-92) from the free throw line for the season.
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 1,320 points (14.2 ppg), grabbed 315 rebounds (3.4 rpg) and made 183 3-point field goals in 93 career games. Gegg ranks 12th all-time in Pitt State history in career scoring. She needs 69 points to pass Mikaela Burgess (1,388 pts from 2015-18) for 11th place.
Senior guard Erin Davis is averaging 9.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Davis has recorded a pair of 20-point games for the Gorillas this season, contributing 20 points vs. Missouri S&T (Nov. 27) and a career best 21 points vs. Newman (Dec. 1).
Davis is shooting 44.6 percent from the field (45-101) and 45.3 percent form 3-point range (24-53).
She started four games a year ago, averaging 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. The Independence, Mo., native contributed 3.1 points in 17 games played in 2019-20.
Senior guard Sydnee Crain is contributing 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Crain ranks fourth in the MIAA in assists to date.
Crain started 18 of 23 games last year, averaging 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. She also dished out 44 assists and made 31 steals.
Crain started nine games for the Gorillas in 2019-20, 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 533 points (5.6 ppg) and dished out 201 assists (2.1 apg) in 95 career games for the Gorillas.
Freshman guard Grace Pyle has contributed 7.8 points and 2.1 rebounds to date. She has converted 22 of 47 (.468) 3-point field goal attempts on the season. Pyle scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Saint Mary on Nov. 18.
Pyle was named the Kansas Class 5A Player of the Year as a junior in 2019-20 at McPherson High School and she was a first-team Class4A All-State selection her senior season.
Sophomore guard Jayme Jackson is averaging 7.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on the season.
Jackson saw action in 20 games during her debut season, including one start, in 2020-21. The Liberty, Mo., native averaged 5.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Jackson was an All-District performer and a two-time All-Conference prep selection at Liberty North High School.
Senior forward Julia Johnson chips in with 5.6 points, a team-leading 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots per game.
Johnson contributed 7.3 points and a team-leading 6.0 rebounds per game in 2020-21, her second season in the Pitt State program. She shot 56.2 percent (68-121) from the field and recorded 20 blocked shots on the year.
Johnson averaged 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 25 games played in 2019-20.
The DeSoto, Kan., native joined the Gorillas from Johnson County Community College, where she averaged 5.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Cavaliers as a redshirt freshman in 2018-19.
Freshman forward/center Karenna Gerber has chipped in 5.4 points and a team-leading 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots per game. She has a team-best 28 offensive rebounds.
Gerber was a two-time Kansas Class 3A All-State performer at Halstead High School. She earned All-League honors all four seasons.
Freshman guard Sydney Holmes also has averaged 4.5 points and 4.4 rebounds to date.
Holmes earned Kansas Class 5A All-State recognition in each of her final two prep years at Maize High School.
Sophomore guard Jenna Shipley has averaged 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Shipley saw action in 10 games last year. She averaged 1.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
The Adrian, Mo., native earned Missouri Class 2A All-State honors in each of her final two prep seasons. She averaged 28.5 points and 14 rebounds per game as a senior.
Redshirt sophomore center Shayla Kohler and sophomore guard Emma Martin also saw limited action for the Gorillas in 2020-21.
Kohler, who played in four games for the Gorillas in 2020-21, averaged six points, seven rebounds and two assists per game as a senior at Platte County (Mo.) High School.
Martin, who played in six games for the Gorillas a year ago, is averaging 2.8 points per game.
She joined the squad from Mountain Home (Ark.) High School. A two-time All-Conference selection, she averaged 14.5 points, four rebounds and five assists per game for the Bombers.
Junior guard Aliyah Myers also is seeking to make an impact for the Gorillas this season. She is averaging 1.7 points per game thus far.
Myers signed with the Gorillas from Kansas City Kansas Community College, where she earned first-team NJCAA Division II All-America honors as a sophomore.
She averaged 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.3 steals per game while helping the Blue Devils to a 21-4 record last year. A two-time All-Jayhawk Conference performer, Myers was named the 2021 Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
The Derby, Kan., native earned Kansas Class 6A All-State honors three times at Derby High School.
