PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will wrap up a three-game MIAA road swing Tuesday (Jan. 6) by traveling to Joplin, Mo., for a match-up against Missouri Southern State University.

Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (CST) at MSSU's Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium. The Lions primary basketball venue – the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center – is currently undergoing renovations. MSSU has played home games at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center since the 1999-2000 season.

Following Tuesday's action, Pitt State will return home to entertain Newman University Thursday (Jan. 8) at John Lance Arena.

The Record
Pitt State is 9-5 on the season (3-1 MIAA). The Gorillas currently sit in a three-way tie for third place in the MIAA standings. Pitt State trails No. 1 ranked Washburn (14-0, 4-0 MIAA) and No. 11 ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith (13-0, 4-0 MIAA); and the Gorillas are tied with Central Missouri (12-4, 3-1 MIAA) and Missouri Western (11-4, 3-1 MIAA).

Pitt State split a pair of games last week in the Gorillas' return from the Holiday break. The Gorillas dropped a 72-58 decision to UAFS on Jan. 1; and Pitt State rallied from a 13-point second half deficit to claim a 98-95 overtime win over Northeastern State last Saturday (Jan. 3).

Newman is 5-8 (1-3 MIAA) heading into Thursday's match-up against the Gorillas. The Jets suffered a 17-point setback (89-72) at the hands of Central Oklahoma Saturday at Wichita.

Head Coach Jeff Boschee
Jeff Boschee is in his fourth year as head basketball coach at Pittsburg State and his 12th season as a collegiate head coach. He has a 207-134 (.607) career record, including a 56-48 (.538) mark leading the Gorillas. Boschee recorded his 200th all-time coaching victory in the Gorillas win vs. Sioux Falls on Nov. 14.

Boschee guided the Gorillas to a 21-11 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament in 2023-24. Pitt State posted a 15-7 mark in MIAA play and the squad reached the finals of the 2023-24 MIAA Postseason Tournament.

Last year, the Gorillas posted an 18-12 overall record (13-6 MIAA) and reached the semifinals of the 2024-25 MIAA Postseason Tournament.

Prior to accepting the Pitt State position, Boschee served as head coach at MIAA rival Missouri Southern for eight seasons. He compiled a 151-86 (.637) overall record leading the Lions.

Boschee directed MSSU to four 20-win seasons and three consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament between the 2017-18 and the 2019-20 campaigns. He was selected the 2017-18 MIAA Coach of the Year and his 2018-19 squad reached the NCAA Sweet 16 while posting a 25-8 record. Including four seasons as an assistant, MSSU compiled a 237-118 (.668) record during Boschee's time on the Lions' staff.

As a collegiate player, Boschee was a four-year starter at the University of Kansas under former KU coach Roy Williams from the 1998-99 to 2001-02 seasons. While at KU he helped the Jayhawks win a Big 12 Conference Championship and a Big 12 Conference Tournament title, and he played in the 2002 NCAA Final Four.

Series History
Pitt State and MSSU will meet for 117^th time in program history Tuesday. The Lions hold a 65-51 advantage in the series against the Gorillas. Pitt State scored a 62-56 win in the last match-up on Jan. 25, 2025 at Joplin.

The Gorillas and Jets have met 43 times previously with Pitt State holding a 28-15 advantage in the series. The Gorillas have won each of the last six meetings including sweeping both match-ups a year ago.

Scouting the Gorillas
The Gorillas have three players scoring in double figures on the season:  junior guard Connor Rogers (20.4 ppg), freshman guard Mason English (13.8 ppg) and freshman forward Ethan Sage (10.0 ppg).

Rogers is contributing 20.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. He currently ranks second in the MIAA in scoring. Rogers posted a career best 39 points in the Gorillas win over Sioux Falls on Nov. 14. His scoring output ranked in a tie for eighth place on Pitt State's single game scoring list. He has scored 20 or more points eight times to date and dished out a season best nine assists vs. Central Oklahoma on Dec. 4. Rogers ranks fifth in the MIAA in free throw percentage (.885, 69-78).

Rogers (Starkville, Miss.) came to Pitt State from East Central (Miss.) Community College. He garnered second-team All-Conference honors a year ago after contributing 19 points, five rebounds and four assists a game. Rogers (5-11, 185) prepped at Starkville High School.

English is contributing 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. The Pittsburg native scored a season best 31 points the last time out vs. Northeastern State. He posted a 22-point scoring night against MSU-Crookston on Nov. 15; and he posted his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 assists vs. Maryville on Nov. 20. He currently ranks second in the MIAA in assists.

English (6-2, 192) was a three-time Kansas Class 5A All-State performer at Pittsburg High School. He averaged 33.4 points, six rebounds and eight assists per game his senior year. English attended Link Year Prep Academy during the 2024-25 season.

Sage is averaging 10.7 points, a team-leading 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 blocked shots in six games played. The Weatherford, Okla. native returned to the Pitt State lineup on Jan. 1 after missing eight games due to injury. He scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the season opener against WTAMU. Sage averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in Pitt State's two games last week.

Sage (6-7, 200) helped Weatherford High School to the Oklahoma Class 5A state championship during his senior season, when he averaged 12.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

The Gorillas also have six players scoring between 4.8 and 8.8 points per game:  redshirt junior freshman guard Landon Short (8.8 ppg), forward Donald Coats (8.6 ppg), sophomore forward/center Alijah Curry (7.9 ppg), redshirt junior center Darrell Washington (6.0 ppg), junior guard Hayden Shanks (5.3 ppg) and redshirt sophomore forward Evan Jackson (4.8 ppg).

Short is scoring 8.8 points per game and made 29 3-point field goals (29-83). Short (6-2, 165) garnered MIAA Player of the Week honors on Dec. 8 after averaging 23.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a pair of wins to open MIAA play.

The Austin, Texas native posted career best scoring totals in back-to-back outings, going for 22 points in the Gorillas win over UCO last Thursday (Dec. 4) and accumulating 25 points in Pitt State's victory over Rogers State last Saturday (Dec. 6).

Short was an All-District performer as a senior at Stony Point High School, where he averaged 16 points and six rebounds per game last year.

Coats is averaging 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on the season.

Coats (Chicago) began his collegiate career at MIAA rival Missouri Southern before spending two seasons at Parkland Community College. He spent the 2024-25 season at MIAA rival Emporia State, averaging 7.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game before an injury cut short his season. Coats (6-7, 218) contributed 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore at PCC in 2023-24.

Curry is averaging 7.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game to date. He's also made 39 of 79 shots from the field (.494).

Curry (6-9, 215) transferred to Pitt State from Manhattan University where he saw action in reserve role last year. The Memphis, Tenn. native prepped at Camden High School in New Jersey where he averaged 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while helping the team to a 30-2 record and a state championship.

Shanks has contributed 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on the season. He scored a season best 12 points vs. NSU on Jan. 3.

Shanks (6-2, 185) played in 22 games in a reserve role in 2024-25. He scored a career best 15 points against McPherson College last year. Shanks garnered Arkansas Class 6A All-State honors at Bentonville High School, averaging 12 points and five rebounds per game during his senior campaign.

Jackson also is averaging 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game to date.

The Chicago native averaged 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as a redshirt freshman in 2024-25. Jackson (6-7, 200) started a pair of games last year and posted double-doubles against Central Oklahoma (Dec. 4) and Rogers State (Jan. 15).

Redshirt junior center Darrell Washington made his season debut for the Gorillas in the River City Holiday Classic in mid-December. He has contributed 6.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in four outings since returning from injury.

Washington (Lake Charles, La.) started seven games for the Gorillas in 2024-25, before suffering a season-ending injury. He averaged 9.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting .538 (28-52) from the field a year ago.

Washington played his first two collegiate seasons at Odessa College and Lee College.

Senior center Tane Prictor is averaging 3.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in five games played this year. He has converted six of 12 field goal attempts (.500).

Prictor (Bend, Ore.) averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and a block a game while shooting .620 from the field a year ago. Against Central Oklahoma (Mar. 8, 2025) in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals, Prictor recorded a 16-point, 17-rebounds double-double performance. He has recorded 87 blocked shots in 79 career games, ranking sixth in Pitt State history. 

Prictor joined the Pitt State program from Mountain View (Ore.) High School. An Oregon Class 6A All-State performer as a senior at MVHS, he averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and 2.1 blocks a game, lead the state in block shots that season.

Sophomore guard David Cobin Jr. also has seen reserve action in 13 outings, contributing 3.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game so far.

Cobin (5-11, 170) saw action in 23 games in a reserve role as a true freshman in 2024-25. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebound, 4.9 assists and 4.2 steals during his senior campaign at De Soto High School.