PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will travel to Russellville, Ark., Thursday (Nov. 16) for an NCAA Division II Central Region match-up against Arkansas Tech University. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. (CST) at Tucker Coliseum.
Look At The Golden Suns
Arkansas Tech is 1-0 on the young season. The Golden Suns opened their 2023-24 campaign with an 89-61 victory over Champion Christian, an NCCAA program, on Nov. 11. Pacious McDaniel led the team with 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in 22 minutes. Alex Hill had 12 points, three assists and three steals in 21 minutes. Hayleigh Wyrick led the bench with 19 points making a team-high four shots from deep in 20 minutes. ATU posted a 14-13 record (12-10 GAC) last year, earning the No. 4 seed for the GAC Postseason Tournament.
Gorillas 2-0 After MIAA/GAC Challenge
Pitt State opened its season with a 2-0 mark at the MIAA/GAC Challenge at Shawnee, Okla., last weekend. The Gorillas posted wins over Oklahoma Baptist (60-50) and Southwestern Oklahoma (67-47) in their debut action. Grace Pyle (McPherson, Kan.) leads the team with 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 made threes and 2.0 steals a game. Karenna Gerber (Halstead, Kan.) is averaging 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds with a .500 shooting percentage from the field. Destiny Buerge (Carl Junction, Mo.) leads the reserve unit with 10.5 points and 2.0 made threes a game. Jenna Shipley (Adrian, Mo.) has a team-best five blocks to go with 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds a game. Harper Schreiner (Eudora, Kan.) is averaging 8.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Macie Mays (El Dorado Springs, Mo.) also has sparked the Gorillas off the bench, averaging 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting .600 from the field.
Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her sixth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 93-50 (.650) record. During her tenure as head coach, she has guided the Gorillas to the Division II National Tournament twice (2022-23 & 2018-19) with her debut season marking the first coach in program history to guide the program to a 20-win season. Davied has deep ties to the program first as a player (1999-03), graduate assistant (2003-04) and assistant coach (2004-18) while serving as the lead assistant from 2007-18 for current Division I, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), head coach Lane Lord.
MIAA Preseason Polls Rank Gorillas Third
The 2023-24 MIAA Coaches and Media Polls listed Pittsburg State third in the conference field, behind Central Missouri and Missouri Western to round out the top three. UCM and PSU made it to the NCAA Regional Tournament last season along with MSSU (5/7) and UNK (6/5) after the Jennies were crowned reagular season champs and the Lions claimed the MIAA Tournament crown.
Trio Of All-MIAA Returners
Following the graduation of four-time All-MIAA guard Tristan Gegg (Altamont, Kan.) the mantel has been passed to lead the program to junior forward Karenna Gerber, junior guard Grace Pyle and sophomore guard Harper Schreiner. Gerber, a third-team All-MIAA selection last season, averaged 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks a game while shooting 57.6 percent from the field. Pyle received All-MIAA honorable mention honors a year ago, averaging 14.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.9 made threes and 0.9 steals a game and shooting 42.9 percent from the field (82.8 percent from the free throw line). Schreiner was the MIAA Freshman of the Year and an All-MIAA honorable mention performer after averaging 10.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals a game. She shot 49.5 percent from the floor and 86.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Up Next
Following Thursday's action, the Gorillas will travel to Arkadelphia, Ark., to battle Ouachita Baptist next Tuesday (Nov. 21) and Henderson State next Wednesday (Nov. 22).
