PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will hit the road for a key early season MIAA match-up against Central Missouri Saturday (Dec. 16). Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (CST) at the UCM Multipurpose Building.

Jennies Court Is In Session
Central Missouri bring an 8-1 overall record (3-1 MIAA) into Saturday's action. The Jennies saw their season-opening eight-game winning streak snapped in a 78-66 home loss against Missouri Southern Thursday (Dec. 14). UCM was picked to win the MIAA regular season crwon by the coaches and media after the Jennies finished the 2022-23 campaign at 25-5 overall (19-3 MIAA). This season, UCM is averaging 74.4 points a game with a .749/.432/.302 shooting split (FT/FG/3PT) and coming away with 38.4 rebounds. Defensively, the Jennies collect 9.1 steals and block 3.1 shots a game while giving up 58.2 points. Individually the reigning MIAA Player of the Year, Brooke Littrell is averaging 20.3 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting .891 percent from free throws (49-for-55). Olivia Nelson this season is averaging 14.9 points, 4.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals a game while being the top marksmen on the team going 13-for-32 (.406) from three. Ashley Tull has transitioned into a bench role where she leads that unit in points (9.2), rebounds (6.3) and blocks (1.2) per game averages while shooting .527 from the field (29-for-55). Graycen Holden is the averaging 9.1 points and 5.0 rebounds a game while leading the team in field goal percentage going 31-for-55 (.564). Transfer guard, Allie Clevenger is second on the team in made three pointers going 12-for-32 (.375) this season and is averaging 5.7 points a game in 30.4 minutes. Lauren Frost rounds out the starting five and will partner Nelson as one of  teh primary ball handlers and passers from the backcourt with Frost averaging 4.6 points, 3.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals a game

Series Records
Saturday's contest will be the 66th meeting between the Gorillas and the Jennies. UCM has a 39-26 advantage overall, is 24-9 at Warrensburg and has an eight-game winning streak in the series. The last Gorillas win against the Jennies came on Jan. 12, 2019, in Pittsburg; the last win at Warrensburg came on Feb. 7, 2018.

A Peek at The Gorillas
The Gorillas are 8-1 overall and 3-1 in MIAA play heading into the weekend. Pitt State is receiving votes in the most recent WBCA NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released Dec. 12th. As a team, the Gorillas average 78.6 points with .735/.471/.318 shooting splits (free throw, field goal, three-point) and 46.8 rebounds a game. Defensively, Pitt State is collecting 4.9 steals and 4.7 blocks while giving up 62.1 points a game. Individually, Pitt State is led by Grace Pyle (McPherson, Kan.) with 20.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 made three-pointers a game. Karenna Gerber (Halstead, Kan.) averages 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks a game while shooting .604 percent from the field. Macie Mays (El Dorado Springs, Mo.) leads the bench unit with 10.5 points a game while shooting a team-best .727 percent from the field. Sydney Holmes (Maize, Kan.) is averaging 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds a game while shooting .509 from the field. Jenna Shipley (Adrian, Mo.) is averaging 5.9points and 3.0 rebounds a game while shooting .462 percent from three (6-for-13). Harper Schreiner (Eudora, Kan.) is stuffing the stat sheet with 7.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals a game.

Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her sixth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 99-51 (.660) 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.

100 Trifecta Incoming
This season the Gorillas have had some memorable feats accomplished involving the number 100. First it was Grace Pyle making her 100th career three at No. 23 Missouri Western (Nov. 30) in the Gorillas 65-56 win. Pyle became the 17th Gorilla in program history to accomplish the feat and with 115 made three's to date is 13th just four made three's away from jumping head coach Amanda Davied for 12th. Not to be outdone, Karenna Gerber notched her 100th career block against Central Oklahoma Dec. 9) in the 95-76 win at John Lance Arena to become the sixth in program history to accomplish the feat and with 103 blocks currently she is two blocks away from passing Cathy Brugman for fifth all-time. Davied will soon join in on the fun with her next win being her 100th as a head coach. Should she do it anytime in the next five games she will become the quickest coach in program history to accomplish the feat with previous mentor Steve High the current record holder needing 156 games to accumulate his 100th win.

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 regular 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
Pitt State will travel to Jefferson City, Mo., next Monday (Dec. 18) to battle the Lincoln Blue Tigers at 5:30 p.m. (CST) at Jason Gym.