Gorillas Set to Open MIAA Play Against Bronchos, Hillcats

PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will open Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play with a pair of road games against the University of Central Oklahoma and Rogers State University.

The Gorillas will face the Bronchos at 7:30 p.m. (CST) Wednesday (Dec. 4) at Hamilton Field House on the UCO campus. Pitt State will then travel to Claremore, Okla., Saturday (Dec. 7) to meet Rogers State University at 3:30 p.m. at the Claremore Expo Center.

The Pitt State action can be heard on ESPN 100.7 FM radio, online at espn1007.com/ or through the ESPN 100.7 or KSHQ app for phones or mobile devices.

The Record
The Gorillas are 4-3 heading into the opening week of MIAA play. Pitt State posted a pair of home wins last week, downing Arkansas Tech University, 72-64, on Nov. 27 and McPherson College, 109-76, last Saturday (Nov. 30).
Pitt State posted a 15-7 mark in MIAA play in 2023-24. The Gorillas advanced to the finals of the 2023-24 MIAA Postseason Tournament. Pitt State was picked third in the 2024-25 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

Central Oklahoma has posted a 4-2 record to date. The Bronchos have won two straight games, including a 104-63 home decision over the University of Texas Dallas Sunday (Dec. 1). UCO, which posted a 12-10 mark in MIAA play last year, was the preseason No. 5 pick by MIAA coaches.

Rogers State is off to a 7-2 start to the season heading into a Wednesday home match-up against Missouri Southern State University. The Hillcats posted a 91-64 win over the University of the Ozarks the last time out on Nov. 30. RSU was tabbed to finish eighth in the MIAA this year after posting a 14-8 mark in conference play last season.

Head Coach Jeff Boschee
Jeff Boschee is in his third year as head basketball coach at Pittsburg State. He guided the Gorillas to a 21-11 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament a year ago. Pitt State posted a 15-7 mark in MIAA play and the squad reached the finals of the 2023-24 MIAA Postseason Tournament.

Prior to accepting the Pitt State position, Boschee served as head coach at MIAA rival Missouri Southern State University for eight seasons. He compiled a 151-86 (.637) overall record leading the Lions.

He has a 184-120 (.605) career record as a head coach.

Boschee directed MSSU to four 20-win seasons and three consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament between the 2017-18 and the 2019-20 campaigns. He was selected the 2017-18 MIAA Coach of the Year and his 2018-19 squad reached the NCAA Sweet 16 while posting a 25-8 record.

As a collegiate player, Boschee was a four-year starter at the University of Kansas under former KU coach Roy Williams from the 1998-99 to 2001-02 seasons. While at KU he helped the Jayhawks win a Big 12 Conference Championship and a Big 12 Conference Tournament title, and he played in the 2002 NCAA Final Four.

Series History
Wednesday's action will mark the 44th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Bronchos in a series that dates back to the 1916 season. UCO holds a 23-20 edge in the series but Pitt State is 13-7 against the Bronchos in games played in Pittsburg. The Gorillas swept three meetings against UCO, including an 84-65 victory in the MIAA Postseason Tournament on Mar. 8.

Rogers State holds a 6-2 advantage in the abbreviated series against Pitt State. The Hillcats scored an 86-79 win over the Gorillas in the only meeting between the schools on Jan. 24 at Claremore.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have three players scoring in double figures to date: graduate guard Avery Taggart, junior guard Tanner Mans and redshirt senior guard R.J. Forney Jr.

Taggart is averaging a team-leading 14.4 points as well as 4.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in his seven five contests as a Gorilla. He has made a team-leading 23 3-point field goals (23-57). Taggart ranks 15th in the MIAA in scoring, second in the conference in 3-point field goals (3.3 pg) and fourth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.404).

Taggart (Eureka, Mo.) transferred to Pitt State from MIAA rival Missouri Southern. A two-time honorable mention All-MIAA performer, Taggart started in 71 of 107 career games for the Lions, scoring 1,050 points (9.8 ppg) and making 184 3-point field goals.

He scored a season best 21 points and dished out five assists vs. UCCS on Nov. 14.

Mans has contributed 12.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game thus far. He scored a career high 18 points in Pitt State's home opening win against Arkansas Tech on Nov. 24.

Mans (6-6, 200) started 14 games in 2023-24 and averaged 8.0 points per game. The Wichita native converted 46 of 102 3-point field goals, shooting .451 from 3-point range. He also shot .900 from the free throw line, making 36 of 40 attempts.

Mans came to Pitt State from Virginia Military Institute, where he averaged 5.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season. He was a Kansas Class 5A All-State performer as a senior at Bishop Carroll High School.
Forney is averaging 11.9 points per game thus far. He is shooting .492 from the field (30-61), including .439 from 3-point range (18-41). Forney also is contributing 3.3 rebounds per game. He scored a career best 25 points in the Gorillas win vs. St. Cloud State on Nov. 10.

Forney ranks fifth in the MIAA in 3-point field goals and third in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage.

Forney (Broken Arrow, Okla.) averaged 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds last year and hit a team-leading 63 3-point field goals. He averaged 2.0 3-point field goals per game, shooting .426 from behind the arc (63-148). Forney was selected to the five-man 2023-24 MIAA All-Defensive Team.

He contributed 8.9 points per game and knocked down 70 3-pointers (2.5 per game) during the 2022-23 campaign. Forney (6-3, 180) scored a career high 19 points against Emporia State on Feb. 23, 2023.

For his career, Forney has started 70 of 105 games played, scoring 658 points (6.3 ppg) and converting 178 3-point field goals. He ranks in a tie for fourth place in program history in 3-point field goals made.

Forney came to Pitt State from Tulsa's Union High School, where he averaged 10.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists his senior year.

Sophomore guard Jordan Frison is contributing 9.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. He currently leads the MIAA in assists.

Frison (Memphis, Tenn.) returned for his second season in the program following an All-MIAA campaign in which he was selected the 2023-24 MIAA Freshman of the Year. He started all 31 games played a year ago, averaging 11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Frison finished the season ranked second in the MIAA in assists and 12th in the league in steals.

Frison (6-0, 170) scored a season best 24 points in a road win over Newman on Feb. 3 last year. He also set the all-time Pitt State single game assist record with 13 helpers against Henderson State on Dec. 19. He added 17 points in the game for his first career double-double.

Frison averaged 28 points, six assists and four rebounds per game as a senior at Overton High School. He helped OHS to the 2023 Tennessee Class 4A state championship, while garnering Class 4A MVP honors.

Junior center Darrell Washington has chipped in with 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting .538 from the field (28-52).

Washington (Lake Charles, La.) joined the Gorillas last January, after playing his sophomore season at Lee College in 2022-23. He averaged 6.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 21 games played for the Navigators.

Junior guard Johannes Kirsipuu is contributing 5.36 points, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Kirsipuu (Sulu, Estonia) came to Pitt State after two seasons at NCAA Division I Central Arkansas. Kirsipuu (6-2, 185) started 26 of 55 career games for the Bears. He averaged 6.6 points and 4.1 assists per game last year.

Sophomore forward Miles Branch also is averaging 3.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He is shooting .647 from the field (11-17).

Branch (Lawrence, Kan.) transferred to Pitt State after two seasons at the University of South Dakota. Branch (6-9, 225) redshirted in 2023-24, after seeing action in 16 games for the Coyotes as a freshman in 2022-23.

Junior center Tane Prictor is averaging 3.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots in six games played to date. He posted 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in his season debut vs. St. Cloud State (Nov. 10).

Prictor (Bend, Ore.) started in four of 23 games played in 2023-24, averaging 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. He also blocked 34 shots on the season.

Prictor (6-11, 275) posted his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. MSSU on Feb. 11, 2023. He scored a career best 13 points vs. William Jewell last year (Nov. 25) and he recorded six blocked shots vs. Nebraska-Kearney (Jan. 11).

Prictor signed with Pitt State out of Mountain View (Ore.) High School where he was an honorable mention Oregon Class 6A All-State performer as a senior for the Cougars. He averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game, leading the state of Oregon in blocked shots.

Redshirt sophomore Hayden Shanks (3.4 ppg) and redshirt freshman guard/forward Evan Jackson (3.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg) also have seen action for the Gorillas.

Shanks (Bentonville, Ark.) saw action in 20 games in a reserve role for the Gorillas last year. He garnered Arkansas Class 6A All-State honors as a senior at Bentonville High School, averaging 12 points and five rebounds a game his senior season.

Jackson (Chicago, Ill.) saw action in six games in 2023-24 before an injury cut short his rookie campaign. He was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior at the De La Salle Insitute, where he averaged 14.6 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots per game.

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