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It was a bad weekend if you are a Pitt State basketball fan as both teams traveled north to Kansas City to compete in the MIAA Championship Tournament. The men’s team scraped in as the second to last seed in the bracket and come out of the season with a four-game losing streak after the tournament. The women’s team would start their season off hot, but found themselves on the wrong end of a six-game losing streak as their season ended earlier than hoped.
The men’s team faced the Central Oklahoma Bronchos in the first round of the MIAA tournament, finding themselves bounced out after a 53-62 loss. The Gorillas never led in the contest, struggling to hit shots with just a 32.8 percent shooting percentage and only going 3-22 from the three-point line.
Pitt State’s All-MIAA guard tandem of junior Connor Rogers and freshman Mason English paced the team in scoring. Rogers posted a team-leading 16 points, while English finished with 12. Redshirt junior Donald Coats added seven points and 11 rebounds in the contest. Freshman Ethan Sage and sophomore Alijah Curry also chipped in with seven points apiece. The Bronchos would go on to lose to eventual MIAA champions Washburn in the next round of the tournament.
On the women’s side, they played Washburn in the second round of the tournament, losing 49-60. Pitt State would take an early lead in the contest, but the Ichabods would take the lead shortly after, and were able to run away with the game.
Sophomore Clara Swearingen paced the Gorillas with 15 points, while freshman Marin Adams added 12 points. Fellow freshman Kaycee McCumber added four points and a game-high 12 rebounds and outgoing senior Harper Schreiner chipped in with four points and 10 rebounds in her final game for Pitt State. The Gorillas shot 26.8 percent from the field in the game, making just 15 of 56 attempts. The Ichabods would go on to win the tournament, as both men’s and women’s team for Washburn would complete the tournament on top.
For the men’s team, this year was a slight step back after an 18-12 record last season and making it to the second round of the MIAA tournament. The Gorillas had a 15-15 record this season, as they continue to develop younger talent and will go into the offseason looking for answers.
One the women’s side, it was a disappointment for the Gorillas this season. Starting off with a 18-5 record, Pitt State would lose their last six games to fall to 18-11 in the season. Last year, the Gorillas won the MIAA tournament, followed by an appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Whether it was the injuries, the flu, or just plain bad luck, the Gorillas simply couldn’t keep the momentum going late into the season.
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