Pittsburg State’s defense limited Avila to six points in the first 17 minutes of the second half and pulled away for a 65-41 victory Saturday in the Pizza Hut/Fairfield Inn Thanksgiving Classic at Missouri Southern’s Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
The Gorillas shot 46 percent (25-of-55) from the floor while Avila was at 29 percent (15-of-51, including 4-of-20 in the second half).
Sophomore forward Lizzy Jeronimus, who popped in 29 points in the Gorillas’ victory over Evangel on Friday night, netted 16 points to lead the Gorillas and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Guard Drew Roberts scored 15 points, and center Lauren Brown had 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots and also made the all-tournament team.
“It’s a good weekend,” Gorillas coach Lane Lord said. “We won two games, and we got to see some combinations that we needed to see in games. But it looked like we hadn’t played in two weeks. I thought we got a little bit better (Saturday) but we have a long way to go to be a championship basketball team.
“We probably played too many people both days, but this is the time of year to do that and see what kids can do and can’t do and what we need to work on. We got a lot out of the weekend.”
The Gorillas play host to William Jewell at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Psu men 73, Southwestern 60
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Gorillas pulled away in the second half to claim the nonconference win against the Moundbuilders of Winfield in John Lance Arena.
PSU (4-1) led only 35-34 at the half. It took its first double-digit lead at 53-43 with 11:13 left in the contest. The lead slipped to seven before the Gorillas constructed a 12-point lead.
The biggest advantage for PSU was 15 at 73-58 with 1 1/2 minutes left.
Kaleb Porter, whose accuracy from 3 was 3-for-5, scored 17 points for PSU and Javon McGee snared 15 rebounds and tallied.
The Gorillas also received double-figure scoring from Courtney Ingram with 13.
Southwestern (8-3) was paced in scoring by William Tisdale (16) and Taylor Johnson (15). Tisdale added seven boards.
PSU held a slight advantage shooting from the field — 42.6 percent to 41.7 — and led 41-30 in rebounding. The Gorillas sank 16 of 25 free throws to 11 of 20 by Southwestern.
Southwestern, which overall hit nine of 23 treys, shot only 28.6 percent from the floor in the second half.
The Gorillas entertain William Jewell at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Pittsburg State Sports
PSU basketball teams register victories
- Pittsburg State Sports
-
-
Gorillas stay alive with 3-1 win over UCO
Ryan Ventura’s two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning broke a 1-1 tie and kept Pittsburg State’s MIAA Tournament hopes alive Thursday night in a 3-1 victory against Central Oklahoma at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
-
7 Lions, 8 Gorillas names all-MIAA
Seven Missouri Southern Lions and eight Pittsburg State Gorillas have been named to the MIAA’s all-conference baseball team, it was announced Thursday.
-
Lions qualify 12 for track nationals
Missouri Southern has qualified a dozen athletes — six men and six women — for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, it was announced Tuesday.
-
Western rebounds to end Pitt State's season
David Chew’s three-run home run gave Missouri Western a 6-0 third-inning lead, and the Griffons went on to eliminate Pittsburg State 11-4 Friday afternoon in the MIAA Tournament at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
-
PSU baseball prepares for another backyard battle
Pittsburg State baseball coach Matt Murray grew up with four brothers, so he knows all about backyard battles between familiar foes with a mutual respect and a mutual level of competition.
-
Frontenac's Johnson signs with PSU track program
Frontenac senior pole vaulter Taylor Johnson figures if you’re going to dream, you might as well dream big.
-
Pitt State edges Southern for MIAA track title
In what was essentially a two-team race, Pittsburg State had just a touch more fuel.
-
Gorillas upset Central Missouri, head to Kansas City
The Pittsburg State Gorillas scored twice in the top of the 10th to win 9-7 and complete the series upset of Central Missouri in the first round of the MIAA Tournament on Sunday at Fort Hays State’s Larks Park.
-
MSSU, PSU set to battle for MIAA track title
The scene is set today for a Pittsburg State-Missouri State battle for the men’s MIAA outdoor track and field championship.
-
Gorillas eliminated from MIAA softball tourney
A disastrous first inning proved to be just enough to end Pittsburg State’s season on Saturday.
- More Pittsburg State Sports Headlines
-




