GAME INFORMATION
ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS 1-0 (0-0 GAC)	PITTSBURG STATE GORILLAS 2-0 (0-0 MIAA)
Thursday, November 16 | 5:30 p.m. Tucker Coliseum | Russellville, Ark. LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO

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TIPPING OFF
Less than week after opening their 2023-24 season at home with a win over Champion Christian, the Arkansas Tech women's basketball team is back in action at Tucker this Thursday night and will host a key in-region opponent in Pittsburg State.  
 
This will be the second meeting all-time between the Golden Suns and Gorillas with the initial meeting coming in the NCAA Tournament back in the 2015-16 season. Pitt State would emerge victorious in the regional semifinal clash in overtime, 91-80.
 
Tip-off for Thursday night's long-awaited rematch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside Tucker Coliseum.
 

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TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING
The Golden Suns are off to an early 1-0 start to their season as they knocked off Champion Christian, 89-61, at home in their season-debut this past Saturday. In that game, the Golden Suns led the entire game had four players score in double figures.
 
With one game to their credit, the Golden Suns average 89.0 ppg and rank first in the GAC. On the defensive end of the court, the Golden Suns rank fifth in the league in scoring defense, giving up an average of 61.0 ppg. In terms of field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense, the Golden Suns are sixth in the conference as they shoot at an overall clip of .408 (29-of-71) and are limiting their opponents to a .396 mark (21-of-53) to rank seventh.
 
From beyond-the-arc, the Golden Suns shoot at a clip of .304 (7-of-23) to rank sixth in the GAC while their opponents make three-pointers at a mark of .300 (6-of-20) to rank eighth. From the free throw line, the Golden Suns shoot .923 as a team (24-of-26) to rank first.
 
Individually, the Golden Suns' four players that scored in double figures against Champion Christian were Pacious McDaniel, Hayleigh Wyrick, Alex Hill and ClaraGrace Prater. McDaniel and Wyrick each scored 19 points in the season debut while Hill had 12 and Prater, 11 points.
 
McDaniel led the team in rebounds in the opener with eight. In terms of assists, Hill, McDaniel and Jordyn Rollins all had three to lead the team.
 
Defensively, the Golden Suns were led in steals by Hill, McDaniel and Shelly Butler as all three had three steals. As a team, the Golden Suns had five blocks with five different players registering a block in their opener.
 
The Golden Suns are coached by Dave Wilbers, who is in his 17th season as Tech. During his time at Tech, WIlbers has amassed a 343-121 overall record. Nine times, Wilbers has won 20 or more games at Tech and twice has won 30 or more. In terms of national rankings, a Wilbers-led team has been nationally-ranked at any point in a season 10 times. Among those, he has guided the Golden Suns to the top of the rankings on a pair of occasions during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
 

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SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pitt State is off to a 2-0 start to their season as they beat a pair of GAC teams in Oklahoma Baptist and Southwestern Oklahoma on opening weekend. Pitt State won the two games by a combined 30 points, beating Oklahoma Baptist by 10, 60-50, and SWOSU by 20, 67-47.
 
Statistically, the Gorillas average 63.5 ppg and rank 11th in the MIAA. On the defensive end of the court, the Gorillas rank first in the league in scoring defense, giving up an average of 48.5 ppg. In terms of field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense, the Gorillas are 10th in the conference as they shoot at an overall clip of .384 (48-of-125) and limit their opponents to a .268 mark (34-of-127) to rank first.
 
From beyond-the-arc, the Gorillas shoot at a clip of .227 (10-of-44) to rank 11th in the MIAA while their opponents make three-pointers at a mark of .270 (10-of-37) to rank fifth. From the free throw line, the Gorillas shoot .724 as a team (21-of-29) to rank sixth.
 
Individually, the Gorillas have three players averaging double figures in scoring and are led by Grace Pyle and her 16.0 ppg. Karenna Gerber is next in scoring at 13.0 pgg while Destiny Buerge rounds out double-figure scoring at 10.5 ppg.
 
Pyle is also the team-leader in rebounding and is averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. In terms of assists, Harper Schreiner leads the team and is averaging 5.0 assists per game.
 
Defensively, the Gorillas are led in steals by Pyle at 2.0 steals per game and in blocks by Jenna Shipley at 2.5 blocks per game.
 
The Gorillas are coached by Amanda Davied, who is in her sixth season at her alma mater, Pittsburg State. In her time at Pitt State, Davied has amassed a 93-50 overall record and has posted a winning season in all five previous seasons. Twice she has led the Gorillas to 20 or more wins in a season.