PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State women's basketball team will continue MIAA play this week against Newman Thursday (Dec. 7) and Central Oklahoma Saturday (Dec. 9). Thursday's game against NU is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. (CST) start and Saturday's contest against UCO is set for 1:30 p.m. at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.

Series Records
The Gorillas and Jets will meet for the 19^th time in program history Thursday. Pitt State owns a 16-2 overall record in the series, including an 8-1 mark in games played in Pittsburg. The Gorillas have won 15 straight match-ups against NU, including seven straight at John Lance Arena. Pitt State last lost to the Jets on Dec. 6, 1976. Saturday's contest will be the 38^th meeting between the Gorillas and the Bronchos. Pitt State holds a 25-12 advantage in the series overall and is 10-5 at John Lance Arena.

Jets In The Air
Newman is 1-7 overall, 0-2 MIAA, in its first season under Amy Briggs. The Jets were picked 11^th by the media and 14^th by the coaches in the MIAA preseason polls. As a team, the Jets average 65.4 points with .655/.363/.249 shooting splits (free throw, field goal, three-point) and 41.4 rebounds a game. Defensively, the Jets collect 9.3 steals and 4.6 blocks a game while giving up 71.0 points. Individually, Newman is led by Amiya Josey with 9.9 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. Carissa Beck is the top shooter on the team going 16-for-35 (.457) from three while averaging 9.5 points a game. Jaeden McMillin leads the bench unit with 8.3 points a game and has made the most free throws on the team going 21-for-29 (.724). Amaya Perez leads the team with 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals while adding in 5.8 rebounds and 5.6 points a game. Delainey Wylie leads the team with 2.1 block and 6.1 rebounds while scoring 5.6 points a game off the bench.

A Stable Of Cho's
Central Oklahoma enters the week with a 2-6 overall (1-1 MIAA) record in Emma Andrews second season leading the program. The Bronchos were tabbed to finish ninth in both the MIAA preseason coaches and media polls. UCO averages 65.3 points with .721/.380/.309 shooting splits (free throw, field goal, three-point) and 36.6 rebounds a game. Defensively, the Bronchos collect 11.4 steals and 3.6 blocks while giving up 72.0 points a game. Individually, UCO is led by Reagan Fox with 10.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game while shooting .441 from three (15-for-34). Karly Wadsworth averages 9.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and a team-best 1.8 steals and 2.1 threes a game. Aspen Williston leads the bench unit with 5.7 points a game with a .652 shooting percentage from the field.

A Peek at The Gorillas
The Gorillas are 6-1 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play today and receiving votes in the most recent WBCA NCAA Division II Top 25 poll released Dec. 5^th. As a team, the Gorillas average 74.3 points with .746/.446/.309 shooting splits (free throw, field goal, three-point) and 46.1 rebounds a game. Defensively, Pitt State is collecting 4.6 steals and 4.0 blocks while giving up 62.9 points a game. Individually, Pitt State is led by Grace Pyle (McPherson, Kan.) with 17.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 three-pointers a game. Karenna Gerber (Halstead, Kan.) averages 14.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game while shooting .556 percent from the field. Macie Mays (El Dorado Springs, Mo.) leads the bench unit with 11.2 points a game while shooting a team-best .718 percent from the field. Sydney Holmes (Maize, Kan.) is averaging 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds a game while shooting .500 from the field. Jenna Shipley (Adrian, Mo.) is averaging 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds a game while shooting .500 percent from three (6-for-12). Harper Schreiner (Eudora, Kan.) is stuffing the stat sheet with 8.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists a game.

Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her sixth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 97-51 (.655) 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 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 Warrensburg, Mo., next Saturday (Dec. 16) to battle Central Missouri at 1 p.m. (CST) at the UCM Multipurpose Building.