David Sheets reporter
The Pitt State women’s basketball team extended their win streak to 14 games after back-to-back victories against Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State, putting the Gorillas’ overall season record at 23-2 with a perfect 15-0 record against MIAA opponents.
In their first matchup of the week, the Gorillas held a firm command over the Missouri Western State Griffons throughout the first half before pulling away with a 29-point third quarter, ending the game with a final score of 77-62. Senior, Grace Pyle, led the team in scoring with 21 points, while also contributing five rebounds, four assists, and a block in just 27 minutes of play. Along with Pyle, Junior, Harper Schreiner, scored 13 points along with five rebounds, six assists, and two steals in 29 minutes. Senior, Karenna Gerber, also made an impact, pulling down five rebounds, dishing out five assists, and adding a block in 22 minutes of action.
Pitt State would be heavily challenged in the following game against the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. The Gorillas would trail as much as 18 points before slowly clamping down on defense, allowing just 15 total points in the second half, until Pyle scored the game winning layup in the final 8 seconds, the first time Pitt State would lead all game and what would end up being the final score of 61-59.
“We got challenged by (Northwest Missouri State) pretty hard. I wouldn’t say that we weren’t ready to play, but we got caught on our heels. It was really just two halves, which was what we talked about at halftime. They could go cold in the second half, and we could just dominate, and that’s exactly what happened. I mean, you really can’t script stuff like that, but it’s fun when it happens that way,” said head coach, Amanda Davied.
Gerber led the Gorillas in scoring with 14 points, along with adding five rebounds, one assist, one block, and two steals in 31 minutes. Schreiner continued to be a key playmaker as she recorded three rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 34 minutes. Junior, Savannah Campbell, provided a crucial boost off the bench, leading the team with 12 rebounds while also adding two assists in 30 minutes of action. With these two wins, the Gorillas continue to demonstrate their case as the top team coming out of the MIAA. Their ability to step up in key moments and execute under pressure makes them a tough competitor as they march towards the last stretch of their regular season.
The Pitt State women’s basketball team will head for the road for the final time this season as they take on the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers on Thursday, Feb. 20, and the Fort Hays State Tigers on Saturday, Feb. 22. Their final home games will be held the following week against the Washburn Ichabods and Central Missouri Lady Mules, before they head to Kansas City for the MIAA tournament.