KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team put the foot on the proverbial gas pedal from the opening tip and never looked back Sunday (Mar. 9).
 
The top-seeded Gorillas scored the game's first nine points and never allowed second-seeded Fort Hays State University to get into any rhythm until the game was out of reach as Pitt State claimed an 81-73 victory in the 2024-25 MIAA Postseason Tournament Championship Game at Municipal Auditorium.
 
Pitt State (29-3) secured its 29^th win of the season to match the school single season record for victories. The Gorillas also claimed an automatic berth to the 2024-25 NCAA Division II National Tournament for a second straight year while claiming the MIAA's postseason crown to match Pitt State's regular season title this year.
 
Grace Pyle poured in a game high 23 points to pace the Gorillas title game efforts, while Karenna Gerber added 19 points and six rebounds. Gerber was selected the tournament's Most Outstanding Player while Pyle and Macie Mays also were named to the five-member All-Tournament Team.
 
Maycee James contributed nine points and a team-leading nine rebounds. Mays and Hannah Nilges chipped in with eight points apiece.
 
FHSU (27-4) never led in the game and trailed by as many as 24 points (67-43) with 8:35 to play in the game, before the Tigers mounted a desperate fourth quarter rally that came up short down the stretch.
 
FHSU got 17 points apiece from Talexa Weeter and Olivia Hollenbeck, 16 points from Katie Wagner DeGarmo and 15 points from Brooke Loewe.
 
The tournament title is the Gorillas second straight after Pitt State posted a 3-0 record and claimed the 2023-24 MIAA Postseason Tournament crown.
 
The Gorillas and Tigers will await the NCAA's release of the 64-team Division II women's basketball national tournament bracket later Sunday evening. Stay tuned to pittstategorillas.com for further updates.