EMPORIA, Kan. — R.J. Forney Jr. scored a career high 19 points including a game winning basket with three seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Pittsburg State University men's basketball team to a 68-67 road win over Emporia State University Thursday (Feb. 23) at W.L. White Auditorium.
 
The Gorillas (8-19, 5-16 MIAA) led by as many as 14 points, 50-36, with 16:35 to play in the game and then fought off the Hornets (20-7, 14-7 MIAA) down the stretch to score the upset win.
 
ESU battled back to take a 67-66 lead on a pair of free throws by Alijah Comithier with 1:53 to play in the game.
 
The two teams traded misses down the stretch. Landen Hughlett and Forney both missed on 3-point attempts with ESU's Owen Long sandwiching in a miss in-between the two long range shots by the Gorillas.
 
PSU's Calvin Poulina blocked a short jumper by Long with 14 ticks remaining in the game to set up Forney's game winner.
 
Forney made seven of 12 shots in the contest, including five of 10 from distance. He added four rebounds and a game-high four steals. Deshaun English II added his 12^th double-double of the season, posting 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots while playing all 40 minutes. Quentin Hardrict Jr. finished with 15 points and four assists, while Poulina chipped in 10 points.
 
Comithier and Long combined for 43 points for the Hornets, which Comithier finishing with a game-high 22 points.
 
Pitt State will wrap up its 2022-23 season with a 3:30 p.m. road match-up Saturday (Feb. 25) against Missouri Western State University.