PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State women's basketball team is ready to begin the NCAA Division II National Tournament against 22nd ranked Harding University at Bethany, Okla., Friday (Mar. 15). Tip-off is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. (CDT) from the Sawyer Center on the campus of Southern Nazarene University. The Gorillas earned the MIAA's automatic qualifying berth into the national field after claiming the 2024 MIAA Basketball Championships title last week at Kansas City, Mo.
Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her sixth year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 115-57 (.669) record. During her tenure as head coach, she has guided the Gorillas to the Division II National Tournament three times (2023-24, 2022-23 & 2018-19) with her debut season marking the first coach in program history to guide the Gorillas 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 head into the NCAA Division II Central Region Quarterfinals with a 24-7 overall record (15-7 MIAA). As a team, the Gorillas average 75.1 points with .784/.465/.333 shooting splits (FT./FG/3PT) and 41.5 rebounds a game. Defensively, Pitt State is collecting 6.0 steals and 4.1 blocks while giving up 63.2 points a game. Individually, Pitt State is led by Karenna Gerber (Halstead, Kan.) with 15.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks a game while shooting .592 percent from the field. Sharpshooter Grace Pyle (McPherson, Kan.) is averaging 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.6 made three-pointers a game. Macie Mays (El Dorado Springs, Mo.) is no ordinary freshman as she is a key part of the offense with 11.2 points and 3.2 rebounds a game while shooting .549 percent from the field and .441 from three. Harper Schreiner (Eudora, Kan.) is stuffing the stat sheet with 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.7 steals a game. Jenna Shipley (Adrian, Mo.) has returned into the fray and been a spark off the bench or in the staring lineup, averaging 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 blocks a game while shooting .481 from three and .439 from the field. Sydney Holmes (Maize, Kan.) is averaging 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds a game while shooting .444 from the field. Alba Lozano (Leganes, Spain) averages 5.3 points a game in 13.0 minutes while shooting .480 percent from the field. Emma Martin (Mountain Home, Ark.) is averaging 10.0 minutes off the bench adding 1.9 points and 0.7 assists a night. Savannah Campbell (Rolla, Mo.) averages 11.6 minutes off the bench for 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 points a game while shooting .547 percent from the field. Ja'Miya Brown (North Little Rock, Ark.) averages 9.4 minutes a game off the bench with the freshmen recording 2.0 points and 0.9 rebounds a game. Freshmen Destiny Buerge (Carl Junction, Mo.) is averaging 9.6 minutes off the bench with 3.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists a game.
NCAA Division II Individual Rankings (Mar. 10)
Grace Pyle is 11th in three pointers attempted (237), 18th in three pointers made (81) and 25th in three pointers made per game (2.61). Karenna Gerber is seventh in field goal percentage (.592), 24th in blocks (53), 25th in field goals made (197) and 34th in blocks per game (1.71). Harper Schreiner is 27th in assists (137) and 42nd in assists per game (4.4)
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 81 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 seventh on the PSU career list for makes from three with 164 in 76 games and eighth in a single-season with 81.
Making A Career Out Of It
Sophomore guard Harper Schreiner has specialized in assists and steals through 62 career games for the Gorillas. Schreiner so far has dished out 264 assists and recorded 97 steals to be 12th in career assists charts and 31st for steals. This season the Eudora, Kan., native has dished out 137 assists and nabbed 52 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
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 164 made threes to date is seventh passing Morgan Westhoff (2011-15) against Missouri Southern (Mar. 8). 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 138 blocks currently she is five 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.
Twice As Grand
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. Grace Pyle became the 26th member of the 1,000 point club at PSU and the ninth to have made at least 100 career threes against #18 Missouri Western (Mar. 9) in the MIAA Championships Semifinals. Head coach Amanda Davied has coached or played with 16 (including herself) of those in program history to have scored 1000 career points.
Charge On! 1st Volume, Cut 2023-24
Harding has a 25-5 overall record (19-3 GAC) finishing second in the Great American Conference standings before falling in the GAC Tournament semifinals against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The fifth seed in the NCAA Division II Central Region, the Lady Bisons will be competing in the program's fourth ever NCAA Division II National Tournament. This season, Harding averages 71.1 points a game while limiting opponents to 59.9 points. The Lady Bisons have a .744/.414/.333 shooting split (FT/FG/3PT) while coming away with 42.1 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 5.9 steals and 2.5 blocks a game. Sage Hawley was a first-team All-GAC selection this season and is averaging 15.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks a game while shooting .450 from the field. Aubrey Isbell was a second-team All-GAC selection and is averaging 11.2 points and 3.8 rebounds a game while shooting .436 from the field. Rory Geer was also a second-team All-GAC honoree that is averaging 10.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game while shooting .451 from the field. Josie Williams was the GAC Freshman of the Year and averages 10.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 threes a game while shooting .847 from free throws.
A Brief Series History
Friday's contest against the Lady Bisons will be the first ever meeting between the programs.
What Does A Win Mean
With a Pittsburg State win in the NCAA Division II Central Region Quarterfinals it will mark the 25th win of the season. In program history there has only been three 25 win seasons (2016-17, 2015-16 & 2014-15). A win would also be the sixth time in program history to advance to the regional semifinal round of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
That All-MIAA Trio
This season Pitt State had three named to the All-MIAA teams in Karenna Gerber, Grace Pyle and Harper Schreiner. Gerber and Pyle were first-team representatives and the only duo to be listed in the first, second or third teams among the association. Schreiner was an honorable mention for the second year in a row.
Trio Named All-MIAA Tournament
At the conclusion of the 2024 MIAA Tournament, Pitt State had three named to the All-Tournament team for the first time in their careers. Karenna Gerber, Macie Mays and Grace Pyle were joined by Fort Hays States Olivia Hollenbeck and Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament Katie Wagner. Gerber for the tournament averaged 13.7 points and 5.0 rebounds a game while shooting .650 percent from the field. Mays averaged 15.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals a game while shooting .630 percent from the field, .600 percent from three and was 10-of-10 from free throws. Pyle finished the tournament averaging 15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists a game with a .484 shooting percent from the field, .429 from three and .846 from free throws.
A Long Time Coming
For the first time in program history the Gorillas won the MIAA Tournament after finishing as runners up in 2016 and 1992. Pittsburg State is a three-time MIAA regular season champion claiming the title in the 2016-17, 1995-96 and 1991-92 seasons.
