UNK WBB: #20 Gorillas Finish Strong Over Lopers

The 20th-ranked Pittsburg State Gorillas got a game-high 23 points from junior guard Grace Pyle and an unexpected season-high 18 points from Spanish freshman reserve Alba Lozano Davila to down Nebraska Kearney, 83-67, Thursday night in Kansas.

The Gorillas improve to12-2 (6-2) and to 4-1 at home while the Lopers (12-3, 6-3) see a four-game win streak come to an end. These two teams meet again Feb. 24 in Kearney.

Last March, Pyle scored a career-high 30 points to help Pitt upset UNK, 74-54, in the NCAA Tournament. The Lopers tried to avenge that defeat by coming out strong, grabbing early leads of 11-4 and 17-9. However, Pitt trailed by just three at the end of the quarter and started the second on a 9-0 run to grab the lead for good.  

"Disappointed by the level of execution on the defensive end. You can't come into someone's place, especially a ranked opponent, and not execute the scout very well," said UNK head coach Drew Johnson. "When you have to scramble at halftime to try and adjust something, it's going to be hard."

UNK, getting 20 points off its bench. didn't let the Gorillas get too far ahead and trailed by just a 63-59 score with five to play. Redshirt junior wing Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) had a fast break left wing three opportunity that didn't drop, and it was all Pitt from there. They feasted on several live ball turnovers the rest of the way to finish on a 20-8 run.

"That was the one and it just didn't go in. We made a run and fought and credit our team for how hard we're willing to battle," said Johnson. "The bottom line is that if you're going to let them catch it on the wing and rip and go by you for layups ... they picked us a part."

Averaging 18.5 on the season, Pyle reached her point total by going 8 of 16 (2 of 6 threes) from the field and 5 of 6 at the line. She also had eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Next, Lazano Dvila came in at 2.8 points per game (40 points total) and was 2 of 8 from behind the arc. Tonight, she made 7 of 11 shots (4 of 7 threes) in only 19 minutes of work.

In a battle of the MIAA's best rebounding teams, Pitt finished plus four and tallied 18 points off 17 turnovers. Starters Harper Schriener (16 points, five rebounds, four steals) and Macie Mays (10 points, six rebounds, two steals) also had productive nights.

"We didn't make layups and had some things we've got to be able to make. We didn't take some pullups I thought we should've taken, didn't take some threes we should've taken," said Johnson. "When you're timid, I don't think that helps you very much."

UNK was led by starters Kia Wilson (St. George, Kan.) and Samantha Moore (Mullen) who had 12 points apiece. Wilson was hot early on and finished 6 of 10 from the field while Moore made two threes to have a career-best point total. Finally, post Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) worked around foul trouble to have 11 points and six rebounds with Fremont sophomore reserve Macy Bryant at seven points and two boards. Bryant's point total is one shy of her career-high.

UNK heads to Missouri Southern on Saturay afternoon. The Lions (10-4, 6-2) roared past No. 15 Fort Hays State tonight, 67-58. MSSU won at Pitt last week, 71-65.