PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball will return to the friendly confines of John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court for a pair of MIAA games this week. The Gorillas will host No. 4 ranked Northwest Missouri State University Thursday (Feb. 10) and Missouri Western State University Saturday (Feb. 12).

Tip-off for the Gorillas match-up against the Bearcats is set for 7:30 p.m. (CST), while Pitt State's contest against the Griffons has a 3:30 p.m. start time.

The Gorillas 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 6-16 overall and 5-11 in MIAA play heading into Thursday's action. The Gorillas split a pair of games in the last week, falling to Lincoln University (98-87) before bouncing back with a win over the University of Central Missouri (71-68).

NWMSU is 21-3 overall, 14-2 in the MIAA and ranked No. 4 in the most recent NABC/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll heading into Thursday's action. The Bearcats dropped a 75-56 road decision to Emporia State University Tuesday (Feb. 8).

MWSU is 10-2 overall and 6-8 in MIAA play heading into a Thursday (Feb. 10) road match-up against Missouri Southern State University. The Griffons posted a 71-68 road win over the University of Central Oklahoma Tuesday (Feb. 8).

Head Coach Kim Anderson
Pittsburg State's Kim Anderson is in his fifth season leading the Gorillas. He has compiled a 62-72 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 363-234 (.608) 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
Thursday's action will mark the 138th all-time meeting between Pitt State and NWMSU. The Bearcats hold a slight 69-68 edge in the series. The Gorillas are 43-18 against NWMSU in Pittsburg, but the Bearcats have claimed seven of the last eight head-to-head battles at John Lance Arena.

The Gorillas and the Griffons will meet for the 82nd time Saturday. MWSU leads the series, 42-39, but Pitt State is 23-16 against the Griffons in Pittsburg. The Gorillas have won seven of the last eight games played at John Lance Arena.

Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State has four players averaging in double figures on the season:  graduate forward Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr., junior guard Quentin Hardrict Jr., graduate guard Iziah James and freshman forward Cameron Huefner.

Arthur-Williams, who missed the Gorillas' first 12 games due to injury, is averaging a team-leading 12.8 points and 6.9 rebounds in eight games played. He is shooting 48.6 percent (34-70) from the field. Arthur-Williams posted a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds in his season debut vs. MWSU on Jan. 1.

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.

Hardrict has played in 11 games and averaged 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He is shooting 54.7 percent from the field and he posted 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists against Lincoln on Dec. 15.

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.

James contributed 10.4 points per game before suffering an ankle injury. He was shooting 44.1 percent from the field (75-170), including 43.7 percent from 3-point range (31-71). James scored a season high 30 points against Lincoln on Dec. 15.

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.

Huefner is averaging 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in his second season in the Pitt State program. He is shooting 51.4 percent from the field (75-146) to date. Huefner scored a career high 22 points vs. LU (Feb. 5).

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 six players scoring 5.5 or more points per game: graduate guard Ryan Pippins (8.8 pg), junior guard Tyler Hawkins (7.7 pg), graduate guard Dejon Waters Jr. (6.0 ppg), graduate forward Antonio Givens II (5.9 ppg), senior forward Zach Burch (5.5 ppg) and redshirt sophomore guard R.J. Lawrence (5.5 ppg).

Pippins is averaging 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He scored a career high 22 points vs. Washburn (Jan. 15) and he matched that total against UNK on Jan. 20.

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.

Hawkins has contributed 7.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

Hawkins (6-3, 175) joined 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.

Waters has averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Waters (6-4, 220) returned after exercising a medical redshirt season in 2020-21. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 rebounds per game in 2019-20. Waters 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 5.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 17 games played. He posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds vs. Baker (Nov. 27).

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.

Burch is averaging 5.5 points and shooting 60.3 percent (38-63) from the field in 17 games played. He also has a team-leading 18 blocked shots (1.1 bpg) on the season.

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. 

Lawrence has contributed 5.5 points in 10 games played this season. He scored a career high 20 points vs. UCM (Feb. 7).

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.

Junior guard Ike Moore and sophomore guard Magic Reliford are contributing between 2.2 and 2.7 points per game.

Moore has averaged 2.7 points in 16 games played for the Gorillas. He scored a career best 15 points vs. RSU (Jan. 29).

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.

Reliford is contributing 2.2 points in 19 games played. He posted a season high 10 points vs. Lincoln on Dec. 15.

Reliford (6-2, 185) came to Pitt State from Neosho Community College. The Parsons, Kan., native averaged 17.7 points per game and earned first-team All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference honors in 2020-21. He scored 30 or more points three times on the season and ranked eighth in the Jayhawk Conference in scoring.