PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team used a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter to break open a four-point game and pull away for an 84-72 victory over Missouri Southern State University Tuesday (Jan. 7).
 
The No. 13 ranked Gorillas (13-2, 5-0 MIAA) remained unbeaten in MIAA play and logged their fourth straight win before 1,492 fans at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.
 
Karenna Gerber, the reigning MIAA Player of the Week, posted her 28^th career double-double with game highs of 22 points and 11 rebounds in the contest. She made seven of nine shots from the field on the night.
 
Pitt State and MSSU (11-6, 3-2 MIAA) were tied, 50-50, with 2:33 to play in the third quarter, before Hannah Nilges hit a pair of 3-pointers to stake the Gorillas to a 56-50 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
 
The Lions trimmed the margin to 56-52 before Pitt State rattled off nine straight points to build a 65-52 margin with 6:25 to go. The Gorillas ballooned their lead to 15 (71-56) before settling for the 12-point win.
 
Grace Pyle and Macie Mays chipped in with 19 and 17 points, respectively, while Nilges knocked down a team-leading four 3-pointers to finish with 12 points. Mays pulled down a career best nine rebounds.
 
The Lions got 20 points from Kennedy Roach and 19 points from Ryan Franklin.
 
Pitt State, fresh off a three-game home stand, will travel to Wichita Thursday (Jan. 9) for an MIAA match-up against Newman University.