PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State women's basketball program is set to complete their road swing in the Show-Me state with a game against Lincoln on Monday, Dec. 18. Tip-off from Jason Gym is slated for 5:30 p.m. (CST).
Series Records
Monday's contest will be the 44th meeting between the Gorillas and the Blue Tigers. Pitt has a 41-2 advantage overall, is 20-0 in Jefferson City and has a 19-game winning streak currently in the series. The last Lincoln win against the Gorillas was on Mar. 1, 2012 in Pittsburg.
A Peek at The Gorillas
The Gorillas are 9-1 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play heading into the weekend and are receiving votes in the most recent WBCA NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released Dec. 12th. As a team, the Gorillas average 80.8 points with .734/.479/.333 shooting splits (FT/FG/3PT) and 45.6 rebounds a game. Defensively, Pitt State is collecting 5.3 steals and 4.6 blocks while giving up 65.2 points a game. Individually, Pitt State is led by Grace Pyle (McPherson, Kan.) with 19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.4 made three-pointers a game. Karenna Gerber (Halstead, Kan.) averages 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks a game while shooting .613 percent from the field. Macie Mays (El Dorado Springs, Mo.) leads the bench unit with 11.9 points a game while shooting a team-best .732 percent from the field. Sydney Holmes (Maize, Kan.) is averaging 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds a game while shooting .522 from the field. Jenna Shipley (Adrian, Mo.) is averaging 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds a game while shooting .429 percent from three (6-for-14). Harper Schreiner (Eudora, Kan.) is stuffing the stat sheet with 8.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals a game.
Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her sixth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 100-51 (.662) 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 Completed
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 117 made threes to date is 13th just two made threes away from passing 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 105 blocks currently she is 22 blocks away from passing Athena Alvarado for fourth all-time. Davied joined in on the fun with her 100th win as a head coach coming in dramatic fashion. Engineering a 20-point comeback that began late in the third quarter the Gorillas forced overtime and beat No. 3 Central Missouri (Dec. 16) 101-93 in Warrensburg. Davied who was the quickest to 50 wins as a head coach in program history is now also the quickest to 100 wins needing 151 games compared to her former mentor and previous record holder, Steve High who needed 156 games.
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.
Blue Tigers Farwell Tour
Lincoln has a 4-5 overall (1-3 MIAA) record following their loss against Missouri Southern, 76-56 on Saturday (Dec. 16). The Blue Tigers were picked 12th in the MIAA coaches' and media polls this season after going 7-21 overall (5-17 MIAA) last season. Currently Lincoln is averaging 67.9 points a game with a .648/.405/.286 shooting split (FT/FG/3PT) and is coming away with 35.8 rebounds. Defensivley the Blue Tigers collect 9.4 steals and block 2.7 shots a game while giving up 72.1 points. Individually, Ashlyn Alloway leads the team with 15.4 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting .533 from the field. Steph Torres is the other Blue Tiger averaging double-digit scoring at 12.4 points a game to go with 2.9 assists and is the top marksman going 16-for-46, .348 from deep. AJ Bradley leads the team with 1.9 steals to go with 7.3 points off the bench to lead the unit.
Up Next
Pitt State will host Tabor College next to close out the 2023 calendar year on Saturday (Dec. 30), tip-off from John Lance Arena is set for 1:00 p.m. (CST).
