PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team travel to Joplin, Mo., Saturday (Jan. 25) to battle Missouri Southern State University in MIAA play.

The Gorillas, ranked No. 8 in the latest WBCA NCAA Division II Top 25 poll, will meet the Lions at 1:30 p.m. (CST) at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her seventh year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 131-60 (.686) record. During her tenure as head coach, she has guided the Gorillas to the Division II National Tournament three times (2024, 2023 & 2019) 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
Pitt State enters the weekend at 16-2 overall and 8-0 in the MIAA. The Gorillas, ranked eighth in the most recent WBCA/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll (Jan. 21), have won nine out of the last ten games and are 8-0 at home so far. Last time out for the Gorillas against Central Oklahoma (Jan. 18), Pitt State claimed a 84-56 win at home as Macie Mays (16), Grace Pyle (16), Karenna Gerber (15) and Sydney Holmes (14) were leading scorers. Gerber leads the team with 16.1 points and 9.1 rebounds a game while shooting .610 from the field and .902 from free throws. Mays is second on the team with 14.9 points a game and is shooting .543 from the field, .353 from distance and .833 from the charity stripe. Pyle is the top marksmen once again for the Gorillas, averaging 14.7 points a game while going 48-of-128 from three-point attempts (.375). Harper Schreiner is averaging 7.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists a game while shooting .487 from distance (19-of-39). Savannah Campbell leads the bench unit with 7.5 points a game while shooting .500 from the field in 13.4 minutes. Holmes averages 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds a game while shooting .405 from three-point attempts (15-of-37). As a team, the Gorillas average 82.1 points a game while shooting .489 from the field, .379 from three and .771 from free throws to lead the MIAA in each category.

KG Demonstrates Greatness Nightly
Senior forward Karenna Gerber is a consistent presence on both ends of the floor with her effort and talent being on full display over her career. She ranks first in career double-doubles (31) at Pittsburg State and in field goal percentage among qualified shooters (.589), second in rebounds (790), third in blocks (163) and blocks per game (1.48), fourth in rebounds per game (7.2), sixth in free throws made (348), seventh in free throws attempted (455), 10^th in field goals made (563) and 11^th in points (1,474).

GP Chasing After Legends
Senior guard Grace Pyle has proven over the past two seasons to be one of the better shooters in the MIAA and figures to be in contention to be recognized as one of the best shooters in the conference this campaign. For her career, the McPherson, Kan., native ranks fourth in team ranks for made three-pointers (215) and three-pointers attempted (605) .Pyle is also 13^th in points scored (1,305) with Lisa Cropper (1992-96) at 1,399 next to be surpassed. Already the sixth Gorilla to accomplish back-to-back 50 or more made three-pointers in a season, Pyle is gunning to join Jenni Miller (1994-97), Mikaela Burgess (2015-18), Shelby Lopez (2017-19) and Tristan Gegg (2020, 22-23) as Gorillas to accomplish the feat in three seasons.

Schreiner's Game
Junior guard Harper Schreiner has specialized in assists and steals through 81 career games for the Gorillas. Schreiner so far has dished out 349 assists and recorded 123 steals to be eighth in career assists charts and 22^nd for steals. Last season the Eudora, Kan., native dished out 139 assists and nabbed 54 steals to lead the team in each category. Against Central Missouri (Feb. 7, 2024) 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. This season, Schreiner at Rogers State (Dec. 7) recorded the first seven steal game in program history since Megan Ripperton did so against New Mexico Highlands (Dec. 4, 2004). Schreiner is now one of 15 individuals in program history to record a seven or more steal performance in a game.

M&M Express
Sophomore guard/forward Macie Mays had one of the better freshman campaigns in Pitt State history last season finishing the season averaging 11.2 points and grabbing 3.3 rebounds while shooting .534 from the field and .419 from three. This season she is elevating her game with averages of 14.9 points and 3.8 rebounds a game while shooting .543 from the field (108-of-199) and is 35-of-42 from free throws (.833). Mays this season recorded a career-high with 30 points against Northeastern State (Jan. 4) going a school record 10-of-10 from the field, 4-of-4 from three and 6-of-6 from free throws.

What's Up Holmes
Senior guard Sydney Holmes successfully completed her first season in the starting lineup last campaign and looks to put together another solid year for the Gorillas as a senior. For her career, Holmes has appeared in 108 games with 632 points scored, 458 rebounds corralled and 152 assists dished out while shooting .446 from the field.

Savy In The Paint
Junior forward Savannah Campbell gained valuable experience in her sophomore campaign that has helped her lead the charge off the bench this season. The Rolla, Mo., native is averaging a team-best 7.5 points a game off the bench, going 50-of-100 from the field (.500).

Nilges The Marksmen
Senior guard Hannah Nilges introduced herself to the Pitt State faithful with a career-day against the Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm (Nov. 3), going 6-of-8 from three for a career-high 20 points. This season she is 19-of-49 from deep (.388) ranking third among team ranks for attempts and makes. The Jefferson City, Mo., native spent her first three collegiate seasons at Division I Drake University where she appeared in 44 games as a Bulldog.

MJ Is Everywhere
This season the junior guard from Goddard, Kan., Maycee James has showcased multiple impactful performances on both ends of the court. Against Northwestern Oklahoma (Nov. 21) she finished with 10 assists, seven rebounds, six steals and six assists. It marked the third time in the last five years a Gorilla finished a game with 10 assists joining Harper Schreiner (at Lincoln, Dec. 18, 2023) and Kaylee DaMitz (vs. Missouri Western, Dec. 17, 2020). The six steals were also the most since Paige Imhoff collected as many steals vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (Nov. 18, 2017). This season she is up to 48 assists, 29 steals and six blocks.

Gerber Becomes Double-Double Queen
With her first double-double of the 2024-25 season against Ferris State, senior Karenna Gerber set a team record for double-doubles in a career. The Haltstead, Kan., native passed PSU Hall of Famer LaTonya (McGee) Mekha (1983-86) with her 22nd career double-double against the Bulldogs. To date, Gerber has 31 career double-doubles.
 
Karenna Chasing After Double-Double Records
Gerber has recorded a double-double in four straight games for the Gorillas just one behind the school record of five straight double-double performances by Madison Northcutt in the 2016-17 season. Northcutt also recorded seven double-doubles in an eight game stretch as the season ended in 16-17, Gerber has finished with a double-double in five of the last six games for the Gorillas. With 10 double-doubles this season Gerber is tied with herself (22-23) for fourth in program ranks for a season behind, Northcutt (16-17) with 11, Jaimee Bohannon (99-00) with 12 and LaTonya McGee (85-86) finishing with 13.
 
Back-To-Back MIAA AOW's
Senior forward/center Karenna Gerber was named the MIAA Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week for the second week in a row (Jan. 13) after helping lead the Gorillas to a 6-0 start to the MIAA slate. Gerber in MIAA action is contributing 17.4 points and 9.9 rebounds a game while shooting .654 from the field and .925 from free throws to rank within the top-four in each category.

Polls And Scrolls
The Gorillas, the preseason No. 1 pick in the 2024-25 MIAA Coaches Poll, posted a 24-8 record (15-7 MIAA) a year ago. Pitt State captured the MIAA Postseason Tournament crown and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. This season the Gorillas were listed 13th in the first three WBCA/NCAA Division II Coaches Poll of the season before being positioned in eighth in the next three poll updates, currently Pitt State is ranked eighth in the latest poll (Jan. 21).

Another Trip To The Big Dance
In the Gorillas 35 years of competing at the Division II level the women's basketball team has qualified for 13 National Tournament appearances. In those 13 appearances, Pitt State is 9-13 (.409) with two Elite Eight appearances in 2012 and 2016.

A Long Time Coming
For the first time in program history the Gorillas won the MIAA Tournament in 2024 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.

Lions Scout
Missouri Southern is 13-7 overall and 5-3 in the MIAA heading into the weekend. The Lions are led by Ryan Franklin with 13.2 points and 7.4 rebounds a game. Kaitlin Hunnicutt is the top shooter going 33-of-96 from three (.344) and is averaging 12.0 points and 3.9 rebounds a game. Mackenzie Hart stuffs the stat sheet with 9.1 points, 3.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds a game adding in 1.9 steals. Veonce Powell is averaging 7.6 points a game as a rotational starter. Makenna Yokley leads the team with a .526 field goal percentage and averages 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds off the bench. As a team the Lions average 69.1 points a game while surrendering 63.1 points to opponents while forcing the opposition into 17.6 turnovers per game.

MSSU Series History
Saturday's contest will mark the 109^th meeting all-time, with Pitt State owning a 61-47 advantage and winning three straight. In Joplin, the Gorillas are 26-24 with four of the last five games at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Pittsburg State claimed a 84-72 win in Pittsburg on Jan. 7^th behind a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double from Karenna Gerber, 19 points from Grace Pyle, 17 points from Macie Mays and 14 points off the bench from Hannah Nilges.

MIAA Win Leaderborard (Since 1989-90 season) As of Jan. 19
1. Central Missouri *, 442-214 (.674)
2. Washburn *, 439-216 (.670)
3. Emporia State *, 421-201 (.677)
4. Pittsburg State *, 411-243 (.628)
5. Missouri Western *, 383-271 (.586)
6. Missouri Southern *, 331-324 (.505)
7. Northwest Missouri *, 272-382 (.416)
8. Fort Hays State *, 239-128 (.651)
9. Southwest Baptist ^, 229-391 (.369)
10. Nebraska-Kearney *, 145-105 (.580)
11. Truman State &, 141-280 (.335)
12. Central Oklahoma *, 119-130 (.478)
13. Missouri S&T %, 88-180 (.328)
14. Northeastern State *, 74-175 (.297)
15. Lincoln (Mo.) @#, 56-373 (.131)
16. Lindenwood ^, 47-88 (.348)
17. Southeast Missouri ?, 40-6 (.870)
18. Missouri-St. Louis +, 31-81 (.277)
19. Rogers State *, 24-92 (.207)
20. Nebraska-Omaha !, 23-39 (.371)
21. Newman *, 20-95 (.174)
22. Arkansas-Fort Smith *,5-2 (.714)
* - Current Member Institution
# - Left conference in 2024
^ - Left conference in 2019
& - Left conference in 2013
! - Left conference in 2011
% - Left conference in 2005
@ - Left conference in 1999
+ - Left conference in 1996
? - Left conference in 1991