Kearney, Neb. – The Pittsburg State Gorillas shot 70 percent in the second half and had six players score in double digits to down Nebraska-Kearney, 90-64, Saturday evening at the Health & Sports Center.
The Gorillas (17-9, 13-7) take the season series from the Lopers and are now in a three-way tie for third place in the MIAA standings.
On “Senior Day” the Lopers played an inspired first half as they outrebounded the Gorillas by a 24-15 margin to trail by only a 35-31 count at the break. New Zealand junior forward Sean Murphy (nine) and Wahoo super senior Winston Cook (seven) did the most damage on the glass but a 1 of 10 effort from behind the arc allowed Pitt to lead by two. The Gorillas were also cold from downtown (2 for 11) but went 12 of 17 from two-point land.
Pitt then roared out of the halftime locker room with five quick points thanks to a bucket and a three-point play. UNK called timeout but it didn’t matter as the Gorillas didn’t miss much in the second half, making 19 of 27 shots (.704 pct.) including a 6 of 9 effort from deep. Thanks to 6-10, 300-pound post Tane Prictor, who had 10 points and eight rebounds in just 11 minutes, they also won the rebounding battle, 25-15.
“I don’t know if there was bad Gatorade or not; I’m going to have to check it. You come out and play like that in the second half … I don’t quite understand that” said UNK interim head coach Antoine Young on the KRVN Radio post-game show. “We played so well in the first half and, since we’ve mainly been playing seven guys of late, it could’ve been fatigue. These guys have logged a lot of minutes.”
Sophomore lefty reserve guard Max Alexander paced Pitt (game-high 21 points in 21 points with four assists) with starters Deshaun English III and Jordan Fritson having 15 apiece. Finally, sophomore wing Tanner Mans almost had a double double (12 points, seven boards) like Prictor.
For UNK, Murphy had his second straight and fifth double double of the winter (15 points, 14 rebounds) with Texas true freshman guard Bryson Goldsmith providing 13 points, seven boards, two assists and two steals off the bench. The point and rebound totals are new season-bests for Goldsmith. Next, Colorado freshman guard D’Aundre Samuels had 17 points and three dimes with Cook having 11 points and eight boards in his 101st collegiate appearance.
“Bryson is a freshman and has been learning the whole year what college basketball is about. It was good to see him finally grow up and become a sophomore,” said Young. “Sean is Mr. Reliable and always a rock for us. We appreciate him so much for the fight that he has.”
In addtion to Cook, forward Ryder Kirsch (Rapid City, S.D.) was honored on Senior Day. Unfortunately, his suffered a season-ending injury back in mid-December.
The Lopers finish up the season next Friday night at Fort Hays State (21-6, 16-5). That game was moved up a day due to arena scheduling issues.
Kearney, Neb. – The Pittsburg State Gorillas sunk 11 three pointers and used a big early run to down Nebraska-Kearney, 85-57, Saturday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.
Pitt (20-6, 14-6) takes the season series from the Lopers (18-9, 12-9) who are now in sole possession of seventh place in the MIAA standings. UNK has just one game next week, a Friday night road tilt at Fort Hays State (21-6, 15-6).
On “Senior Day”, things started out great for the Blue & Gold as they led 6-0 and had a chance to make it a three-possession game but a three rimmed out. It was literally all Pitt after that as they zoomed ahead 22-13 and never looked back.
“We’ll go back to the film and look at what we need to fix but we gave up 80 points twice this weekend and that can’t happen,” said UNK head coach Drew Johnson. “We’re going to have to execute defensively better and we’re capable. That’ll be the message next week.”
Pitt shot 50% in the first quarter (8 of 16) and went up to 53% in each of the next two quarters (both of 9 of 17), making 10 triples along the way. Six different Gorillas made a trey with reserves Jenna Shipley and Alba Lozano Davilla having three apiece.
On the other end of the court, UNK made just 3 of 17 shots (18%) in the second quarter to trail 45-26 at the break. Things didn’t improve early in the third as Pitt started the final half on a 9-2 run.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever shoot 17 percent in a quarter every again. That kind of buries you,” said Johnson. “Defensively from the arc, we have to have more pressure on the shooters. It feels like people are very comfortable when they shoot it right now.”
Individually, Lozano Davila (13) and Shipley (11) combined for 24 of Pitt’s 40 bench points with starter Karenna Gerber at 10 points and six rebounds and Grace Pyle (11) making 5 of 7 shots.
“As a coaching staff, we must have defensive game plans that allow them to be successful. If our game plans don’t allow them to play fast, free and aggressive, that’s not going to work,” said Johnson. “We got to get the plan right, taught right, coached right and when we get on the floor, execute it well.”
For UNK, point guard Jillian Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) had a team-best 12 points with fourth-year junior wing Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) knocking down two threes to score 10. Off the bench, redshirt senior Lexi Moes (Smithville, Mo.) had seven points and six rebounds with Kia Wilson (St. George, Kan.) and Brinly Christensen (Lincoln SW) combining for 11 points and eight rebounds.
Prior to the game, Moes, forwards Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) and Dani Winslow (Olathe, Kan.) and guards Halle Duft (South Weber, Utah) and Trinity Law (Brandon, S.D.) were honored.
