Gorilla Men Earn Road Win at Emporia State
PSU
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 2:00 AM
News
Pittsburg, KS
Box Score | Season Stats
EMPORIA, Kan. -- The Pitt State men’s basketball team earned a tough 75-68 road win over Emporia State on Saturday night (Jan. 7) at White Auditorium. The Gorillas (9-5, 5-3 MIAA) have now won three games in a row and four of their last five.
JaVon McGee led the Gorillas with 23 points and nine rebounds. He was one of three Gorillas in double figures for the game. Eric Ray added 11 points and led the team with six assists. Marky Nolen added 15 points. He was 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
As a team, the Gorillas shot 83 percent from the free throw line, and nearly one-third of their point came from the charity stripe.
Emporia State’s Tola Lawal led all players with 24 points, 16 of which he scored in the second half.
With the game tied 10-10, Pitt State went on an 13-3 run lasting over eight minutes to take a 23-13 lead with 6:52 remaining in the first half. Though the Hornets scored 13 more points in the half, the Gorillas were able to remain strong offensively and bank 13 more points themselves to take a 10-point, 36-26 lead at the half.
The Hornets came out hot in the second half and were able to cut the Pitt State lead to three, 42-39, with 16:09 remaining. The two teams continued to battle, with Emporia State cutting the lead to one twice before the under 10 minute media timeout.
With 7:34 remaining, ESU’s Tola Lawal hit a three to tie the game at 55-all. The two teams continued to trade points, though Pitt State’s all came from the free throw line.
A three by Taylor Euler broke the tie trend and gave ESU its first lead since the first half, 60-59. It was short lived, however, as Eric Ray answered with a layup for the Gorillas. The next trip down the court Marky Nolen was fouled and hit the first of two charity shots to give the Gorillas a two-point lead, 62-60.
On the opposite end of the court, Nolen fouled Lawal as he was attempting to shoot a three, Lawal made two of his three free throws to tie the game once again, at 62-all. The teams traded shots, but strong free throw shooting down the stretch, as well as several offensive rebounds allowed the Gorillas to regain and sustain the lead.
McGee got a crucial steal with just under a minute remaining, hit a layup, was fouled and sunk the free throw to give Pitt State a 72-65 lead.
Pitt State returns to the friendly confines of John Lance Arena to take on Washburn at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11.