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Game Day Central
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PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University men's basketball team will hit the road for a pair of MIAA games against Emporia State University Wednesday (Jan. 15) and Washburn University Saturday (Jan. 18).
Wednesday's tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (CST) at William L. White Auditorium in Emporia, Kan., while Saturday's action will begin at 7 p.m. at Lee Arena in Topeka.
The Records
Pitt State enters the week 6-6 overall and 2-3 in MIAA action. The Gorillas split a pair of home games last week, falling 88-62 Thursday (Jan. 9) to Central Missouri before bouncing back with an 85-82 victory over Missouri Western Saturday (Jan. 11).
Emporia State is 11-6 overall and 4-3 in MIAA play. The Hornets have won back-to-back games , including a 95-77 victory over Central Missouri last Saturday (Jan. 11) at Emporia.
Washburn is 11-3 overall and 4-3 in the MIAA action. The Ichabods, who are idle until facing the Gorillas Saturday, have dropped their last two contests – to Central Missouri (77-63) and NW Missouri State (83-76).
The Coaches
Pittsburg State's Kevin Muff is in his fourth season leading the Gorillas. Muff (Kansas State, '86) became the Gorillas' 14th all-time head coach on Apr. 5, 2010, after spending 12 seasons at Cloud County Community College, where he helped the Thunderbirds to an average of 21 wins in each of the last five seasons.
He has a 54-43 (.557) record in his short tenure with the Gorillas. This will be his seventh meeting with the Hornets. He is 4-2 against ESU. This will be Muff's seventh meeting against Washburn. He is 1-5 vs the Ichabods.
Shaun Vandiver is in his third year as head coach at Emporia State. Vandiver (Colorado, '02) has notched a 33-38 (.465) mark at ESU. He is 1-3 vs. Pitt State.
Bob Chipman is in his 34th year as head coach of Washburn. Chipman, (Kansas State, '73) has compiled a 732-299 (.701) record while leading the Ichabods. He is 50-17 all-time vs. the Gorillas.
Series History
Pitt State and Emporia State will meet for the 183rd time Wednesday. ESU holds a slight 93-91 advantage in the series, but Pitt State has won four of the last six meetings against the Hornets. The Gorillas defeated the Hornets, 82-55, the last time the two teams met on Mar. 3, 2013. in Pittsburg.
Saturday's action will mark the 175th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Ichabods. Washburn holds a 94-80 advantage in the series that dates back to 1920, and the Ichabods have won five of the last six meetings.
WU defeated Pitt State, 67-51, at Topeka the last time the two teams squared off on Feb. 2, 2013.
Scouting the Gorillas
Pitt State enters this week's action with three players averaging in double figures on the season: junior guard Devon Branch (19.1 ppg), sophomore guard Jake Bullard (15.6 ppg) and senior guard Sam Pugh (10.7 ppg).
Branch, who currently ranks fourth in the MIAA in scoring, scored 20 points in the Gorillas season opener against Newman on Nov. 13 before exiting the game with a knee injury. He missed three games, before returning to the Pitt State lineup Nov. 22. The Aberdeen, Md., native tallied a season-high 27 points against Eastern New Mexico at the WTAMU Thanksgiving Shootout.
On the season, Branch is shooting 55.1 (59-for-107) from the field while also averaging 4.8 rebounds per contest.
Branch transferred to Pitt State last January from the University of Oregon. He did not play for the Ducks, but he averaged 22 points per game as a sophomore at Cloud County Community College in 2011, leading the Jayhawk Conference in scoring.
Branch posted 30 points and 16 rebounds in the Gorillas' exhibition loss to Kansas State on Nov. 1. He also scored a game-high 27 points on Oct. 29 in an exhibition loss to the University of Kansas.
Bullard (6-5, 180) ranks among the MIAA leaders in scoring (15th) and assists (sixth, 4.6 apg) on the season.
The Cleora, Okla., native posted a double-double with 15 points and a career high 10 assists against Eastern New Mexico (Nov. 29). He just missed posting a triple double against West Texas A&M on Dec. 18 with 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists against the Buffs.
Bullard is shooting 53.9 percent from the floor (55-for-102), including 48.0 percent from 3-point range (12-for-25). He is averaging a team-leadign 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game as well.
Pugh (6-0, 180) is averaging 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and a team-leading 1.3 steals per game. He leads the team and ranks second in the MIAA in 3-point percentage at 53.8 (28-for-52).
The Branson, Mo., native tallied 22 points against Eastern New Mexico and 12 points with a career-best 10 dimes against Bethany, recording his first career double-double.
Pugh ranks ninth in the MIAA in assists and 11th in the league in steals.
Freshman guard Josiah Gustafson is averaging just below double digits at 9.2 points per game. The Omaha, Neb., native tallied a team-high 16 points and five rebounds against NW Missouri State on Dec. 5.
Junior forward Alex Williams (7.1 ppg), , freshman forward Trevor Gregory (6.1 ppg), senior guard Ethan Cordray (5.5 ppg) and sophomore forward Denton Hays (5.0 ppg) all chip in more than five points a game. Gregory is also averaging 4.1 rebounds per contest and shooting a team-high 66.7 percent from the floor (24-for-36). Cordray has converted 18 of 48 3-point field goals (.375).
As a team, the Gorillas are shooting 50.0 percent from the field (323-646)and 36.9 percent from 3-point range (80-217). Pitt State also is shooting 72.6 percent from the free throw line (238-328).
The Gorillas' opponents have converted 43.0 percent of their shots from the floor (312-725), including 34.8 percent (100-287) from beyond the arc. PSU's opponents are shooting 72.3 percent from the charity stripe (248-343).
Scouting the Hornets
Emporia State has two players averaging in double figures: senior guard Kaleb Wright (17.9 ppg) and sophomore guard Terrence Moore (14.8 ppg). Additionally, senior center Paul Bunch (9.5 ppg), freshman guard Jevon Taylor (8.4 ppg) and sophomore guard Micah Swank (8.2 ppg) are scoring more than eight points a game.
Wright, who currently ranks fifth in the MIAA in scoring, also averages 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest. Moore currently leads the conference in steals (2.4 spg).Bunch pulls down 5.5 rebounds per game and leads the conference with 56 blocked shots (3.3 bpg) on the season.
As a team, ESU averages 79.4 points and shoot 47.2 percent from the field (461-977), 36.9 percent from the 3-point line (121-328) and 70.4 percent from the free throw line (307-436). The Hornets generate 18.1 points per game from the free throw line.
ESU's opponents are averaging 71.8 points and shooting 40.7 percent from the field (408-1003). The Hornets rank second in field goal percentage defense.
Scouting the Ichabods
Washburn has two players averaging in double figures: junior guard Kyle Wiggins (15.3 ppg) and junior forward Alex North (14.1 ppg). Additionally, junior guard Jeff Reid (9.4 ppg), senior guard Leon Flowers (8.4 ppg) and junior forward Stephon Drane (8.4 ppg) all add over eight points per contest.
Wiggins also leads the team with 4.8 assists per game and 16 steals on the season. North has converted 53.7 percent from beyond the arc (23-48). He also leads the team and ranks second in the MIAA with 9.1 rebounds per game.
As a team, the Ichabods average 82.0 points and shoot 47.3 percent from the field (403-852), 39.5 percent from the 3-point line (102-258) and 67.4 percent from the free throw line (240-356). WU ranks first in the MIAA in offensive rebounds (12.9 rpg) and second in rebounding margin (+6.6 rpg).
Washburn's opponents are averaging 74.4 points and shooting 42.3 percent from the field (354-837). The Ichabods' opponents have made 67.8 percent of their free throw attempts (232-342).
Pitt State Probable Starters
F 23 Alex Williams, 6-7, 225, Jr., Salina, Kan.
F 32 Trevor Gregory, 6-7, 235, Fr., Lee's Summit, Mo.
G 1 Jake Bullard, 6-5, 190, So., Cleora, Okla.
G 4 Josiah Gustafson, 6-6, 190, Fr., Omaha, Neb.
G 5 Devon Branch, 6-6, 180, Jr., Aberdeen, Md.
Emporia State Probable Starters
F 1 Gavin Brown, 6-5, 215, Sr., Junction City, Kan.
C 32 Paul Bunch, 6-11, 250, Sr., Chicago, Ill.
G 0 Kaleb Wright, 6-4, 200, Sr., Chicago, Ill.
G 11 Terrence Moore, 6-2, 170, So., Wichita, Kan.
G 13 Micah Swank, 6-1, 170, So., Pratt, Kan.
Washburn Probable Starters
F 22 Alex North, 6-6, 215, Jr., Topeka, Kan.
F 31 Leon Flowers, 6-3, 190, So., Carbondale, Kan.
G 3 Jeff Reid, 6-6, 205, Jr., Topeka, Kan.
G 11 Kyle Wiggins, 6-2, 170, Jr., Leavenworth, Kan.
G 13 Chris Deanes, 5-11, 180, So., Memphis, Tenn.
