PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team will wrap up a three game home stand Tuesday (Jan. 7) before hitting the road for an in-state battle Thursday (Jan. 9).
Ranked No. 14 in the latest WBCA NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll, the Gorillas will host Missouri Southern State University at 5:30 p.m. (CST) Tuesday at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court. On Thursday, Pitt State will take on Newman University at Fugate Gymnasium at Wichita at 5:30 p.m.
Head Coach Amanda Davied
In her seventh year as head coach of her alma mater, Davied owns a 127-60 (.679) 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 12-2 overall and 4-0 in the MIAA. The Gorillas, ranked No. 14 in the most recent WBCA/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll (Dec. 31), have won nine out of the last ten games and are 5-0 at home so far. Last time out for the Gorillas against Northeastern State (Jan. 4), Pitt State claimed an 88-56 win behind a career-high 30 points from
Macie Mays.
Karenna Gerber leads the team with 16.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game while shooting .594 from the field and .896 from free throw attempts.
Macie Mays is second on the team with 16.1 points a game and is shooting .583 from the field along with shooting .850 from free throws.
Grace Pyle averages 14.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 made three's a game going 37-of-108 from deep.
Harper Schreiner averages a team-high 4.1 assists a game while adding in 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds.
Maycee James leads the team with 2.4 steals a game while contributing 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 points and 4.0 assists a game.
Savannah Campbell leads the bench unit with 6.7 points a game while shooting .507 from the field in 12.9 minutes. As a team, Pitt State averages 81.8 points a game, shooting .486 from the field, .356 from three and .767 from free throws.
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 (27) at Pittsburg State, second in field goal percentage among qualified shooters (.586), second in rebounds (745), third in blocks (158) and blocks per game (1.49), sixth in rebounds per game (7.0), seventh in free throws made (334) and attempted (440), 11
th in points (1,414) and 12
th in field goals made (540).
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 fifth in team ranks for made three-pointers (204) passing Drew Roberts (2009-13) against Arkansas Tech (Nov. 27, 2024). Pyle is also 14th in points scored (1,241) with Jenny Pracht (1993-96) at 1,302 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 77 career games for the Gorillas. Schreiner so far has dished out 324 assists and recorded 113 steals to be ninth in career assists charts and tied for 26th 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 16.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists a game while shooting .583 from the field (88-of-151) and is 34-of-40 from free throws (.850). Last time out for Mays, she 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 104 games with 601 points scored, 441 rebounds corralled and 145 assists dished out while shooting .447 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 6.7 points a game off the bench, going 35-of-69 from the field (.507).
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 13-of-34 from deep (.382) ranking third among team ranks for attempts and fourth in 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.
Clara From Three
Freshman guard
Clara Swearingen against SNU (Nov. 3) went 2-of-2 from three-point range for her first collegiate points, she has also made two three-pointers in three games this season. So far this season she is 7-of-24 from three-point attempts (.292). The Nevada, Mo., native averaged 23 points a game on her way to Conference Player of the Year honors last school year at Nevada H.S.
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 27 career double-doubles.
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 also 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 14
th in the latest poll (Dec. 31).
Trio Named All-MIAA
Last 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.
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 11-5 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA while going 1-1 in road games this season so far. On the road, the Lions have a 57-54 win over Rogers State (Dec. 4) and an 87-76 loss against Central Oklahoma (Dec. 8) to begin MIAA action. Picked to finish fourth in the MIAA Preseason Poll the Lions having won eight of their last 10 games. Kaitlin Hunnicutt leads the team with 13.9 points a game going 31-of-84 from three (.369) and adds 4.1 rebounds nightly. Ryan Franklin leads the team with 7.5 rebounds a game while scoring 11.6 points. Mackenzie Hart averages 3.4 assists a game to lead the team while adding in 9.1 points and 3.4 rebounds. Veonce Powell is averaging 8.0 points a game while going 24-of-29 from free throws. As a team the Lions average 68.9 points a game while shooting .402 from the field, .324 from three and .731 from free throws.
MSSU Series History
Tuesday's contest will mark the 108th time these two teams will meet. Pitt State owns a 60-47 advantage in the series with a 32-20 record at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court. In the last matchup on Mar. 8, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo., the Gorillas won the first round matchup in the MIAA Tournament, 73-65 en route to the first ever MIAA Tournament championship in team history.
Jets Report
Newman State heads into the matchup against the Gorillas with a 5-8 overall, 0-4 in the MIAA record going 3-2 at home. Picked to finish 14
th in the MIAA Preseason Poll, NU is under the guidance of second year head coach Amy Briggs with a 7-34 having already surpassed their win total from last season. Jaeden McMillin leads the team and is the lone Jet that averages double figures in scoring at 12.4 a game with her 6.2 rebounds and 12 steals leads the team as well. Valeriya Lioukina is second on the team with 8.2 points and 5.7 rebounds a game in 19.0 minutes as a starter. Paige Craft averages 8.1 points and 2.3 assists a game. Saige Grampsas leads the team with 2.5 assists and Delainey Wylie averages a team-best 1.7 blocks a game. As a team, Newman averages 60.7 points a game while shooting .359 from the field, .278 from three and .705 from free throws and makes 7.4 three-pointers a game.
Newman Series History
Thursday's contest will mark the 22nd contest between the two universities. The Gorillas have an 18-3 advantage in the series, with a 17 game winning streak that began on Dec. 3, 1985 in Pittsburg. In the last matchup, an 83-43 decision in Wichita, the Gorillas were led by four double figure scorers in
Grace Pyle (16),
Savannah Campbell (15),
Karenna Gerber (14) and
Destiny Buerge (12).
MIAA Win Leaderborard As of Jan. 5 (Since 1989-90 season)
1. Central Missouri *, 440-212 (.675)
2. Washburn *, 436-215 (.670)
3. Emporia State *, 421-197 (.681)
4. Pittsburg State *, 407-243 (.626)
5. Missouri Western *, 381-269 (.586)
6. Missouri Southern *, 330-322 (.506)
7. Northwest Missouri *, 270-380 (.415)
8. Fort Hays State *, 237-127 (.651)
9. Southwest Baptist ^, 229-391 (.369)
10. Nebraska-Kearney *, 142-105 (.575)
11. Truman State &, 141-280 (.335)
12. Central Oklahoma *, 119-126 (.486)
13. Missouri S&T %, 88-180 (.328)
14. Northeastern State *, 72-174 (.293)
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 *, 24-87 (.216)
20. Nebraska-Omaha !, 23-39 (.371)
21. Newman *, 19-92 (.171)
22. Arkansas-Fort Smith *, 2-3 (.400)
* - 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
