Southern women's basketball team falls to Gorillas
Feb. 19—The Pittsburg State University women's basketball team earned a season split after putting together a dominant fourth quarter en route to a 77-66 win over Missouri Southern on Saturday at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Southern jumped out to an early 13-7 lead with 4:20 left in the first quarter and maintained its lead at 20-15 at the close of the opening period — a lead that included three Kryslyn Jones 3-pointers.
The Gorillas (19-5, 13-5) took control late in the second quarter. PSU tied the game at 26-26 off a Karenna Gerber score and then took the lead off a Harper Schreiner 3-pointer at 1:28 to make it 31-28. The Gorillas outscored the Lions 19-12 in the second frame to take a 34-32 lead at the half.
Each team logged 22 points in the third quarter, with neither team able to build more than a 4-point lead. The Lions entered the final period trailing 56-54.
Southern (18-6, 14-4) regained the lead at 57-56 off a Kaitlin Hunnicut trey at 9:11 and played even ball with PSU until a Gerber jumper put the Gorillas up for good at 62-60 with 7:02 left.
Pitt State outscored the Lions 15-6 down the final stretch to claim the win.
Jones led the Lions with 19 points; Hunnicutt and Brandi Hudson had 9 each.
Grace Pyle led the Gorillas with 20 points, Gerber finished with 18, and Macie Mays had 17.
The Gorillas dominated the boards, including 12 rebounds from Gerber and finished with 43 rebounds to MSSU's 27.
The PSU win avenged a 71-65 home loss to MSSU on Jan. 6, when the Gorillas were ranked No. 13 in the nation.
The Lions travel to Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday before hitting the road Saturday to face Fort Hays State. They return home Wednesday, Feb. 28, to battle Washburn.
