UNK WBB: Pitt Spoils Senior Day
Kearney, Neb. – The Pittsburg State Gorillas sunk 11 three pointers and used a big early run to down Nebraska-Kearney, 85-57, Saturday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.
Pitt (20-6, 14-6) takes the season series from the Lopers (18-9, 12-9) who are now in sole possession of seventh place in the MIAA standings. UNK has just one game this week, a Friday night road tilt at Fort Hays State (21-6, 15-6).
On "Senior Day", things started out great for the Blue & Gold as they led 6-0 and had a chance to make it a three-possession game but a three-rimmed out. It was literally all Pitt after that as they zoomed ahead 22-13 and never looked back.
"We'll go back to the film and look at what we need to fix but we gave up 80 points twice this weekend and that can't happen," said UNK head coach Drew Johnson. "We're going to have to execute defensively better and we're capable. That'll be the message next week."
Pitt shot 50% in the first quarter (8 of 16) and went up to 53% in each of the next two quarters (both of 9 of 17), making 10 triples along the way. Six different Gorillas made a trey with reserves Jenna Shipley and Alba Lozano Davilla having three apiece.
On the other end of the court, UNK made just 3 of 17 shots (18%) in the second quarter to trail 45-26 at the break. Things didn't improve early in the third as Pitt started the final half on a 9-2 run.
"I don't know if we'll ever shoot 17 percent in a quarter every again. That kind of buries you," said Johnson. "Defensively from the arc, we have to have more pressure on the shooters. It feels like people are very comfortable when they shoot it right now."
Individually, Lozano Davila (13) and Shipley (11) combined for 24 of Pitt's 40 bench points with starter Karenna Gerber at 10 points and six rebounds and Grace Pyle (11) making 5 of 7 shots.
"As a coaching staff, we must have defensive game plans that allow them to be successful. If our game plans don't allow them to play fast, free and aggressive, that's not going to work," said Johnson. "We got to get the plan right, taught right, coached right and when we get on the floor, execute it well."
For UNK, point guard Jillian Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) had a team-best 12 points with fourth-year junior wing Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) knocking down two threes to score 10. Off the bench, redshirt senior Lexi Moes (Smithville, Mo.) had seven points and six rebounds with Kia Wilson (St. George, Kan.) and Brinly Christensen (Lincoln SW) combining for 11 points and eight rebounds.
Prior to the game, Moes, forwards Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) and Dani Winslow (Olathe, Kan.) and guards Halle Duft (South Weber, Utah) and Trinity Law (Brandon, S.D.) were honored.
