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The Pittsburg State University women’s basketball team hosted their first home basketball games on Jan. 13 and 14 against Emporia State University and Washburn University. The matchups gave the Gorillas strong opponents to face as teams begin to look towards the MIAA Tournament.
PSU faced the Emporia State University Hornets on Jan. 13 in their first game of the year. Both the Gorillas and Hornets entered the game with a record of 9-5 with notable wins against Newman University and Rogers State University.
The Gorillas started the matchup with a quick layup by Julia Johnson, senior forward and nursing major, giving PSU an early lead. The Hornets responded with a bucket of their own to keep the game competitive in the first quarter.
Pitt State continued to extend a lead during the first quarter and ended the period up 23-15 against Emporia State University.
The second quarter saw the Gorillas improved upon their success with the help of Erin Davis, senior guard and physical education major, and Tristan Gegg, senior guard and physical education major. Gegg scored two 3-point shots in the second quarter to extend the lead to 17 at the end of the half with a score of 46-29.
The Hornets responded early in the third quarter with a layup by Ehlaina Hartman, freshman guard. However, the momentum quickly shifted back to the Gorillas as Jayme Jackson, Sophomore guard and physical education major, hit a 3-point basket to further the lead.
The third quarter ended with a 23-point lead by Pitt State with a score of 63-40. Karenna Gerber, freshman forward and elementary education major, lead the team during the period with 11 points made.
Emporia State continued to fight during the fourth quarter and brought the lead to 19 with six minutes remaining in the game. But the Gorillas regained momentum and ended the game with a lead of 26 and a final score of 82-56.
Tristan Gegg aided the team with five 3-point buckets and Karenna Gerber lead the team with 19 total points from eight field goals and three free-throw shots.
The Gorillas continued their success on Jan. 15 against the Washburn University Ichabods. The Ichabods entered John Lance Arena with a record of 5-8 with a notable win against Central Missouri on December 31.
The game started with a Pitt State layup by Tristan Gegg giving the team a lead to start the first quarter. As the game continued the Gorillas extended their lead on the Ichabods.
Pitt State’s lead was answered by a jump shot from Abby Oliver, sophomore forward and nursing major, to put Washburn on the scoreboard with seven minutes left in the half.
The Ichabods continued to chip at the Gorillas lead and brought the lead to only two points. However, PSU rallied and ended the quarter 20-15 over Washburn.
During the second quarter, Washburn held Pitt State to a small lead and kept pace as the Gorillas fought hard in the paint.
With the last two seconds in the half Sydnee Crain, PSU senior guard and construction management major, score the final points of the half and gave her team a seven-point lead with the score being 32-25.
During the third quarter the Ichabods once again came close to taking the lead. A layup by Nuria Barrientos, senior guard, brought the deficit to two points.
PSU responded with a 3-point shot by Sydnee Crain to regain momentum. The Gorillas ended the third period up 53-42.
With a 11-point lead, the team was able to seal the game with 3-point shots from Jayme Jackson and Crain. The matchup ended with Pittsburg State on top 69-56.
Jayme Jackson led the team with 17 total points of offense and seven field goals made. Sydnee Crain led the team with 3-points, making 4 throughout the game.
The PSU Women’s Basketball team will be in action again to host Northeastern State University on Jan. 27 and Rogers State University on Jan. 29 at John Lance Arena.