PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will travel to Joplin, Mo., to face Missouri Southern State University in the 105th edition of the Gorillas and Lions rivalry Saturday (Feb. 17). Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. (CST) at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her sixth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 109-55 (.665) 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.
A Peek at The Gorillas
The Gorillas are 18-5 overall and 12-5 in MIAA play heading into Saturday's action. Pitt State is tied for third place in the MIAA standings following last week's performances. As a team, the Gorillas average 77.0 points with .767/.467/.328 shooting splits (FT./FG/3PT) and 42.2 rebounds a game. Defensively, Pitt State is collecting 5.9 steals and 4.5 blocks while giving up 64.3 points a game. Individually, Pitt State is led by Karenna Gerber (Halstead, Kan.) with 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game while shooting .591 percent from the field. Sharpshooter Grace Pyle (McPherson, Kan.) is averaging 16.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 made three-pointers a game. Macie Mays (El Dorado Springs, Mo.) has emerged as one of the best freshmen in the conference with 11.1 points a game while shooting .565 percent from the field. Harper Schreiner (Eudora, Kan.) is stuffing the stat sheet with 7.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals a game. Jenna Shipley (Adrian, Mo.) has returned into the fray after recovering an injury and is averaging 6.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks a game while shooting .500 from three and .463 from the field. Sydney Holmes (Maize, Kan.) is averaging 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds a game while shooting .476 from the field. Alba Lozano (Leganes, Spain) leads the bench unit with 5.5 points a game in 13.0 minutes while shooting .522 percent from the field. Emma Martin (Mountain Home, Ark.) is averaging 11.2 minutes off the bench adding 2.2 points and 0.8 assists a night. Savannah Campbell (Rolla, Mo.) averages 12.0 minutes off the bench for 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 points a game while shooting .589 percent from the field. Ja'Miya Brown (North Little Rock, Ark.) averages 10.5 minutes a game off the bench with the freshmen recording 2.4 points and 1.0 rebounds a game. Destiny Buerge (Carl Junction, Mo.) is averaging 10.1 minutes off the bench with 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists a game.
MIAA Individual Rankings
Grace Pyle leads the MIAA in 3-pointers made per game (3.0), third in three-point percentage among qualified shooters (.345) and fourth in points per game (16.7). Pyle is also seventh in assist-turnover ratio (1.61) and minutes per game (32.6), ninth in assists per game (3.1), 10th in field goal percentage among qualified shooters (.401), 12th in rebounds per game (6.4) and 17th in blocks per game (0.7). Karenna Gerber leads the MIAA in field goal percentage (.591) and is second in blocks per game (2.0) while being fifth in points per game (16.3). Gerber is also ninth in rebounds per game (7.0) and 11th among qualified shooters in free throw percentage (.753). Harper Schreiner is second in the MIAA for assists per game (4.8) and third for assist-turnover ratio (1.96) while being 12th in minutes per game (31.4), 15th in steals per game (1.5) and 19th in rebounds per game (5.7). Jenna Shipley is 9th in blocks per game (0.9). Macie Mays is 21st in points per game (11.1). Savannah Campbell is 24th in blocks per game (0.6).
A Grand Achievement Indeed
Junior forward/center Karenna Gerber became the 25th member of the 1,000 career points club at Pittsburg State against Central Oklahoma (Feb. 1). Gerber also became the 13th to do so while grabbing at least 500 career rebounds and the 3rd ever to grab at least 500 career rebounds and block at least 100 career shots. Head coach Amanda Davied has coached or played with 15 (including herself) of those in program history to have scored 1000 career points.
Private Pyle, Reporting For Duty
Junior guard Grace Pyle has proven to be one of the better shooters from deep once again in the MIAA with a conference leading 68 made three's so far. Pyle is now the sixth Gorilla in program history to record back-to-back seasons making at least 50 three's following her performance against Northeastern State (Jan. 27), is eighth on the PSU career list for makes from three with 151 in 68 games and 10th in a single-season behind Shelby Lopez (2016-17) with 69 and Jenni Miller (1993-94) with 72.
Making A Career Out Of It
Sophomore guard Harper Schreiner has specialized in assists and steals through 54 career games for the Gorillas. Schreiner so far has dished out 237 assists and recorded 79 steals to rank 17th in career assists charts and 35th for steals. This season the Eudora, Kan., native has dished out 110 assists and nabbed 34 steals to lead the team in each category. Against Central Missouri (Feb. 7) she became the fourth player in program history to record 100 assists seasons as a freshman and sophomore ( Amanda Davied, Kaylee DaMitz & Leslie Dudley) and the eighth time overall a player had back-to-back 100 assists seasons.
Career 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 151 made threes to date is eighth with Morgan Westhoff (2011-15) seventh making 159 in her career. 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 130 blocks currently she is 13 blocks away from passing Lauren Brown (2009-13) for third all-time. Amanda 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.
Into The Lions Den
Missouri Southern has an 18-5 overall record (14-3 MIAA) heading into Saturday's action. The Lions are currently tied for first place in the conference standings (with Missouri Western). Inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, Missouri Southern is 7-1 with the lone loss coming against Central Missouri, 78-65, on Feb. 10. As a team, MSSU averages 73.0 points a game while holding opposing teams to 60.2 points. The Lions have a .791/.440/.362 shooting split (FT/FG/3PT) while coming away with 39.1 rebounds, 8.7 steals and 2.9 blocks a game. Ryan Franklin leads the team with 11.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game while shooting .534 from the field. Kryslyn Jones is averaging 11.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 made three-pointers a game at a .364 clip. Brandi Hudson averages 11.0 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench while shooting a team-high .603 from the field. Kaitlin Hunnicutt rounds out those averaging double figures in scoring at 10.9 with 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 made three-pointers a game at a .381 clip. Maggie Sockey is averaging 7.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists a game in 19.2 minutes off the bench shooting .911 from free throws (51-of-56). Mira Khan averages 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds a game in 13.3 minutes. Reese Webb is averaging 3.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals a game in 21.7 minutes.
Series Records
Saturday's contest against the Lions will be the 105th meeting between the programs. Pittsburg State holds a 57-47 advantage in the series overall; and in Joplin the Gorillas are 24-25, going 8-2 in the last 10 games from the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. This season, Missouri Southern won the game in Pittsburg, 71-65, on Jan. 6.
Up Next
The Gorillas will make one last road trip to play the Fort Hays State Tigers on Feb. 22 and the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers on Feb. 24.
