PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY vs Missouri Southern (16-11, 13-8 MIAA) Feb. 27, 2016 • Joplin, Mo. • Leggett & Platt Athletic Center • 3 p.m. 2015-16 Gorillas Schedule The Pittsburg State University men’s basketball team will hit the road for the final All Times – Central game of the regular season Saturday (Feb. 27) when the Gorillas make the trek to Joplin, Mo., to face MIAA rival Missouri Southern State University. NOVEMBER Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. (CST) at MSSU’s Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. 4 at Kansas (exhibition) L, 66-89 13-14 at MIAA/NSIC Challenge (Joplin, Mo.) THE RECORDS 13 vs. Minnesota State W, 62-59 Pitt State is 16-11 overall, 11-10 in MIAA play and tied with Lindenwood University for 14 vs. St. Cloud State W, 85-69 fifth place in the conference standings. The Gorillas enter Saturday’s action on a four-game 17 at Newman L, 89-98 winning streak. Pitt State picked up road wins against the University of Central Missouri 19 WILLIAM JEWELL W, 100-97 (74-72) and Southwest Baptist University (85-72) last week. Missouri Southern is 16-11 overall, 13-8 in MIAA play and tied with Fort Hays State 27 at Regis (Colo.) W, 80-62 University and the University of Nebraska-Kearney for second place in the conference 28 at Metro State (Colo.) W, 72-61 standings. The Lions have won two straight games over SBU (80-70) and UCM (78-71) last week. 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 92-78 (.541) 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 Saturday’s action will be Muff’s 11th match-up against MSSU. He has a 5-5 record 23 at Lincoln * L, 63-68 against the Lions. 27 MISSOURI WESTERN * W, 95-73 30 NORTHWEST MISSOURI * L, 74-81 SERIES HISTORY Pitt State and MSSU will meet for the 97th time Saturday in a series that dates all the FEBRUARY way back to the 1969 season – MSSU’s first year as a four-year college. 3 at Washburn * W, 82-71 The Lions hold a slight 50-46 edge in the series, including a 33-14 advantage in games 6 at Emporia State * L, 66-78 played at Joplin. MSSU has an 11-2 record in the last 13 meetings on its home floor against 11 FORT HAYS STATE * W, 101-92 Pitt State, including three straight wins. 13 NEBRASKA-KEARNEY * W, 77-61 The Gorillas defeated the Lions, 89-80, in Pittsburg on Jan. 16. 17 at Central Missouri * W, 74-72 Pitt State used a 14-2 run to overcome an early 7-2 deficit against MSSU and flip 20 at Southwest Baptist * W, 85-72 the scoreboard in the Gorillas favor. The Gorillas would build a 14-point first-half lead en route to the win. 27 at Missouri Southern * 3 p.m. Trey Starks paced five Pitt State players in double figures with a team-leading 19 points. Dakota Jones added 16 points, while Josiah Gustafson finished with 14 points MARCH and seven rebounds. 1-6 MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS (Kansas City, Mo.) TBA Taevaunn Prince had a game-high 32 points thanks in large part to an 18 of 19 shooting day from the free throw line. GORILLAS VS. MSSU | FEB. 27, 2016 1 GORILLAS ON THE ROAD Jones would rank fifth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage but does not Pitt State has compiled a 436-704 (.382) record in 1,140 all-time road games. meet the 2.0 per game minimum of makes to qualify for a ranking. The Gorillas have posted a 23-48 (.324) road record in six seasons under Coach Additionally, three Pitt State players are averaging between 6.0 and 7.6 points on the Muff, including a 6-7 mark this season; and Pitt State is110-200 (.355) in 310 year: sophomore guard Jaxon Holden (7.9 ppg), senior guard Javis Flynn (7.6 ppg) road games since joining the MIAA and the NCAA Division II ranks starting in the and senior forward Denton Hays (6.2 ppg). 1990 season. Holden (6-1, 185) scored 19 points in his Pitt State debut on Nov. 13 vs. Minnesota State. The Flower Mound, Texas native is averaging 7.4 points on the season. He suffered SCOUTING THE GORILLAS a concussion five minutes into the Newman game on Nov. 17. He missed five games, before returning to the lineup in a reserve role vs. Missouri Western on Dec. 10. The Gorillas have three players averaging in double figures on the season: junior guard Holden came to Pitt State after one season at Stephen F. Austin University where Josiah Gustafson (16.0 ppg), senior guard Trey Starks (15.9 ppg) and sophomore he played in 17 games for the Lumberjacks as a freshman in 2014-15 and helped SFA guard Dakota Jones (11.8 ppg). to a 29-5 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Gustafson (6-6, 180) is averaging a team-leading 16.0 points per game The Omaha, Flynn is averaging 7.6 points, 4.8 assists as well as 2.0 steals per game. The Watonga, Neb., native has coverted 143 of 284 shots (.504) from the field, 53 of 112 3-point field Okla., native scored a career-high 19 points in the Gorillas’ win vs. William Jewell (Nov. goals (.473) and 92 of 104 free throws (.885) in 31.4 minutes of action per game. He also 19) and matched that total against Fort Hays State (Jan. 2). He dished out 10 helpers is averaging a team-leading 5.2 rebounds as well as 1.7 assists per game. in the win vs. St. Cloud State (Nov. 14); and he currently ranks leads the the MIAA in Gustafson ranks 10th in the MIAA in scoring. He ranks second the MIAA in free throw assists and ranks second in the league in steals. percentage and third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage. Flynn led the MIAA in assists and steals last season. He also converted 17 of 45 Gustafson made 38 consecutive free throws between Nov. 14 and Jan. 2. 3-point field goal attempts (.378) on the year. He scored a career-high 34 points in the Gorillas 100-97 victory over William Jewell His 76 steals and his 160 assists both ranked as the second highest single season on Nov. 19. He was named the MIAA Player of the Week on Nov. 30, after averaging 21.0 totals in school history. Flynn set the Pitt State single game assist record with 12 helpers points and 6.0 rebounds per game in a pair of victories at Denver, Colo., against Regis vs. Emporia State on Jan. 14. He twice made a season-high seven steals, including vs. and Metro State. Minnesota State-Moorhead in the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Gustafson started all 32 games as a sophomore in 2014-15 in the Pitt State program, Hays (6-7, 225) is averaging 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 18.0 minutes averaging 15.5 points per game. He ranked eighth in the MIAA in scoring and fifth in of action. The Tulsa, Okla., native posted his first career double-double with a career- the league in free throw percentage (.838, 124-148). high 21 points and 12 rebounds in Pitt State’s victory over Missouri Western on Jan. 27. For his career, Gustafson has scored 1,137 points in 85 games, averaging 13.4 points As a team, the Gorillas are averaging 77.4 points per game and shooting 49.0 per game. He became the 22nd player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points percent from the field (696-of-1420). Pitt State also is shooting 40.2 percent from Saturday (Jan. 23) against Lincoln. 3-point range (189-of-470) and 77.0 percent from the free throw line (510-of-662). He currently ranks 10th on Pitt State’s all-time scoring chart.