PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY 2016 MIAA Post-Season Tournament Mar
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PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY 2016 MIAA Post-Season Tournament Mar. 1, 2016 • vs. Lindenwood • Pittsburg • 7 p.m. 2015-16 Gorillas Schedule The Pittsburg State University men’s basketball team will open postseason play All Times – Central Tuesday (Mar. 1) by hosting Lindenwood University in the first round of the 2016 MIAA Championships. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at John Lance Arena. NOVEMBER 4 at Kansas (exhibition) L, 66-89 THE RECORDS 13-14 at MIAA/NSIC Challenge (Joplin, Mo.) Pitt State brings a 16-12 record into the postseason. The Gorillas posted an 11-11 13 vs. Minnesota State W, 62-59 conference mark, finishing in a five-way tie for fifth place in the MIAA standings. 14 vs. St. Cloud State W, 85-69 Pitt State earned the No. 8 seed for the MIAA Championships. 17 at Newman L, 89-98 The Gorillas dropped an 86-82 road decision to Missouri Southern State University in 19 WILLIAM JEWELL W, 100-97 the regular season finale Saturday (Feb. 27). Lindenwood is 15-13 overall, after dropping the final seven games of the regular 27 at Regis (Colo.) W, 80-62 season to finish with an 11-11 conference mark. The Lions, the No. 9 for the MIAA 28 at Metro State (Colo.) W, 72-61 Championships, dropped a 69-67 overtime decision to Lincoln University Saturday (Feb. 27) at Jefferson City, Mo. DECEMBER 2 NORTHEASTERN STATE * W, 106-99 HEAD COACH KEVIN MUFF 5 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA * W, 74-71 Pittsburg State’s Kevin Muff is in his sixth season leading the Gorillas. Muff (Kansas 10 at Missouri Western * L, 66-69 State, ’86) became the Gorillas’ 14th all-time head coach on Apr. 5, 2010, after spending 12 at Northwest Missouri * L, 48-73 12 seasons at Cloud County Community College, where he helped the Thunderbirds to an 16 WASHBURN * L, 63-76 average of 21 wins in each of the last five seasons. [for complete biography, see page 3] 19 EMPORIA STATE * L, 66-70 He has a 92-79 (.538) record in his tenure with the Gorillas. Muff was named the 2015 MIAA Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Gorillas to a 16-11 regular season record and a tie for third-place in the MIAA standings. Pitt State was JANUARY picked to finish 10th in the 14-team league in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll after posting 2 at Fort Hays State * L, 78-89 an 8-18 (4-15 MIAA) mark the previous season. 4 at Nebraska-Kearney * L, 75-91 He then guided the Gorillas to a perfect 4-0 record in the MIAA Postseason Tournament, 7 CENTRAL MISSOURI * W, 80-69 helping the Gorillas become the first No. 5 seed to claim the championship. Pitt State earned 9 SOUTHWEST BAPTIST * L, 71-83 an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament and finished the 2014-15 16 MISSOURI SOUTHERN * W, 89-80 campaign with a 20-12 overall record. 21 at Lindenwood * W, 70-66 Tuesday’s action will be Muff’s fourth match-up against LWU. He has a 2-1 record 23 at Lincoln * L, 63-68 against the Lions. 27 MISSOURI WESTERN * W, 95-73 30 NORTHWEST MISSOURI * L, 74-81 GORILLAS, LIONS IN THE MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS Pitt State is making its 20th appearance in the MIAA Championships. The Gorillas have FEBRUARY compiled an 18-17 (.514) record in 35 MIAA Tournament games and reached the Finals of the tournament four times. 3 at Washburn * W, 82-71 Pitt State, the defending tournament champion, has compiled an 8-8 (.500) record 6 at Emporia State * L, 66-78 in MIAA Tournament games played at Municipal Auditorium. 11 FORT HAYS STATE * W, 101-92 Lindenwood is making its third appearance in the MIAA Championships. The Lions 13 NEBRASKA-KEARNEY * W, 77-61 are 0-2 (.000) in their previous MIAA Tournament games. 17 at Central Missouri * W, 74-72 20 at Southwest Baptist * W, 85-72 SERIES HISTORY 27 at Missouri Southern * L, 82-86 Pitt State and Lindenwood will meet for the seventh time Tuesday in a series that dates back to the 1989 season. The Gorillas hold a 4-2 edge in the series. MARCH Pitt State posted a 70-66 victory over LWU in the only meeting of the season on Jan. 1 LINDENWOOD (MIAA Tournament - Play-In) 7 p.m. 21, 2016, at St. Charles, Mo. 4-6 MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS (Kansas City, Mo.) TBA GORILLAS VS. LWU – MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS | MAR. 1, 2016 1 Josiah Gustafson scored a team-leading 21 points to lead four Gorillas in double Jones is averaging 11.8 points and 2.0 assists per game. The Warrensburg, Mo., digits against the Lions. native is shooting 46.4 percent from the field (109-of-235), including 45.4 percent from Pitt State also defeated LWU, 74-55, in the quarterfinals of the 2015 MIAA 3-point range (44-of-97). He’s also converted 67 of 78 free throws (.859) on the season. Championships at Kansas City, Mo. Jones tallied a career-high 23 points vs. Northeastern State on Dec. 2. He also scored 23 points and converted five of seven 3-point field goals against Missouri Western on GORILLAS AT HOME Dec. 10. Jones matched the 23-point scoring output for a third time on the season the Pitt State has compiled a 391-183 (.681) record in 574 career games played at last time out against Southwest Baptist (Feb. 20). John Lance Arena (1970-present). Additionally, three Pitt State players are averaging between 6.3 and 7.7 points on the The Gorillas have posted a 211-73 (.743) record on their home floor during year: sophomore guard Jaxon Holden (7.7 ppg), senior guard Javis Flynn (7.6 ppg) the past 21 seasons (1997-2016), including a school record 40 straight home wins and senior forward Denton Hays (6.3 ppg). between Jan. 10, 1997 and Feb. 22, 1999. Pitt State is 53-25 (.679) at home during Holden (6-1, 185) scored 19 points in his Pitt State debut on Nov. 13 vs. Minnesota the past six seasons under Coach Muff. State. The Flower Mound, Texas native is averaging 7.4 points on the season. He suffered All told, the Gorillas have compiled an 835-344 (.708) all-time home record, a concussion five minutes into the Newman game on Nov. 17. He missed five games, winning 70.8 percent of their 1,179 home games. before returning to the lineup in a reserve role vs. Missouri Western on Dec. 10. Holden came to Pitt State after one season at Stephen F. Austin University where SCOUTING THE GORILLAS he played in 17 games for the Lumberjacks as a freshman in 2014-15 and helped SFA The Gorillas have three players averaging in double figures on the season: senior guard to a 29-5 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Trey Starks (16.4 ppg), junior guard Josiah Gustafson (15.4 ppg) and sophomore Flynn is averaging 7.6 points, 4.9 assists as well as 2.0 steals per game. The Watonga, guard Dakota Jones (11.8 ppg). Okla., native scored a career-high 19 points in the Gorillas’ win vs. William Jewell (Nov. Gustafson (6-6, 180) is averaging 15.4 points per game The Omaha, Neb., native has 19) and matched that total against Fort Hays State (Jan. 2). He dished out 10 helpers coverted 143 of 287 shots (.498) from the field, 53 of 112 3-point field goals (.473) and in the win vs. St. Cloud State (Nov. 14); and he currently ranks leads the the MIAA in 92 of 104 free throws (.885) in 30.9 minutes of action per game. He also is averaging a assists and ranks third in the league in steals. team-leading 5.1 rebounds as well as 1.6 assists per game. Flynn led the MIAA in assists and steals last season. He also converted 17 of 45 Gustafson ranks 11th in the MIAA in scoring. He ranks second the MIAA in free throw 3-point field goal attempts (.378) on the year. percentage and would rank third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage but he His 76 steals and his 160 assists both ranked as the second highest single season does not meet the minimum makes per game (3.0 pg) to qualify for a ranking. totals in school history. Flynn set the Pitt State single game assist record with 12 helpers Gustafson made 38 consecutive free throws between Nov. 14 and Jan. 2. vs. Emporia State on Jan. 14. He twice made a season-high seven steals, including vs. He scored a career-high 34 points in the Gorillas 100-97 victory over William Jewell Minnesota State-Moorhead in the NCAA Division II National Tournament. on Nov. 19. He was named the MIAA Player of the Week on Nov. 30, after averaging 21.0 Hays (6-7, 225) is averaging 6.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 18.1 minutes points and 6.0 rebounds per game in a pair of victories at Denver, Colo., against Regis of action. The Tulsa, Okla., native posted his first career double-double with a career- and Metro State. high 21 points and 12 rebounds in Pitt State’s victory over Missouri Western on Jan. 27. Gustafson started all 32 games as a sophomore in 2014-15 in the Pitt State program, As a team, the Gorillas are averaging 77.6 points per game and shooting 49.1 averaging 15.5 points per game.