Women's Basketball | 2/4/2026 3:14:00 PM

GAME 22
Emporia State (11-10, 5-7 MIAA) vs. #15 Pittsburg State (16-4, 9-2 MIAA)
Thursday, February 5, 2026 • 5:30 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • WL White Auditorium
Series Record: ESU leads 66-35 Last Meeting: at PSU 82, ESU 61 (2/6/25)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM
Internet Audio: kvoe.com | Television: None | Internet Video: The MIAA Network
Live Stats | Ticket Info | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: vs. Missouri Southern • February 7 • 1:30 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • White Auditorium

HOME AGAIN   
The Lady Hornets return to White Auditorium after a 2-2 road trip to take on #11 Pittsburg State.

ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 11-10, 5-7 in the MIAA.  They are fourth in the MIAA in assists. Gracie Gilpin is second in the MIAA in three-pointers made per game and averages 12.6 points per game. Kaitlyn Sanders is fourth in the MIAA at 15.9 points per game.  

ABOUT THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 16-4, 9-2 in the MIAA and ranked #15 in the WBCA National Poll. They lead the MIAA in rebounding and are second in three-point percentage defense. Kaycee McCumber leads teh MIAA in rebounding at 9.7 boards per game. Ja'Miya Brown is their leading scorer at 13.7 points per game.

ABOUT THE COACHES
MJ Baker is 11-10 in her first season with the Lady Hornets and is 62-56 in her fourth year as a head coach at a four year institution. She has won 345 games as a collegiate coach and comes to Emporia State after an eight year run at Eastern Florida State College.  She went 183-58 with three conference championships and three trips to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament during her time at EFSC.  This is her first meeting with Pittsburg State.
Amanda Davied is 164-66 in her eighth season at Pitt State. She is 7-5 against Emporia State.

SERIES HISTORY
The Lady Hornets lead the series 66-35. The home team has won seven of the last ten meetings.

LAST TIME VS PITTSBURG STATE
The Lady Hornets went toe to toe with sixth ranked Pittsburg State three quarters but the Gorillas pulled away late for an 82-61 victory in Pittsburg, Kan.
The Gorillas led by nine with 2:40 left in the second quarter but the Lady Hornets would hold them scoreless the rest of the half.  Makenzie McDaniel scored with 37 seconds left to cut the lead to 37-31 at the break.  Emporia State scored five of the first seven points of the second half as a Gracie Gilpin's three pointer with 8:36 left got the Lady Hornets within 39-36. The Gorillas took a 50-41 lead with 5:18 left in the quarter when the Lady Hornets answered with a 9-0 run over the next four minutes as a Janiyah Alvarez layup tied the game at 50 with 1:39 left. After a jump ball gave the ball back to Pitt State with a minute left Macie Mays scored inside to give the Gorillas a 52-50 lead. Jayla Cornelius drove the paint and tied the score at 52 with 30 seconds left.  At the buzzer Harper Schreiner hit a three that held up after review and the Gorillas led 55-52 headed to the fourth quarter. Horyna scored to open the fourth quarter to get the Lady Hornets within 55-54.  Macie Mays scored was fouled and hit the and one to give the Gorillas a 58-54 lead with 8:35 left that would ignite an 11-0 run. The Lady Hornets were within 66-57 with 4:36 left but the Gorillas ended the game on a 16-4 run to pull away for the final score.
Makenzie McDaniel led Emporia State with 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.  She was joined in double figures by Gracie Gilpin, Katie Horyna and Jayla Cornelius all with 12 points.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Hornets used an 11-1 first quarter run to take the lead for good on the way to a 65-56 win at Central Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon in Edmond, Okla.
With the score tied 8-8 midway through the first quarter Gracie Gilpin and Kaitlyn Sanders hit back to back three-pointers to ignite an 11-1 run and take the lead for good. The Bronchos would close to within three points on two occasions in the second quarter but a 14-4 run gave Emporia State a 37-24 lead with 2:25 left in the half.  UCO got an old fashioned three-point play form Harley Harbor with2:20 left in the half and that would be the final score of the period as ESU took a 37-26 lead into the break.
The third quarter was back and forth with the Lady Hornets outscoring the Bronchos 17-15 to take a 54-42 lead into the final period. UCO would get within seven points in the fourth quarter but Kaitlyn Sanders hit six of six free throws in the final 3:54 to ice the 65-56 win.
Kaitlyn Sanders had a career high 29 points with a career high four of five from the three point arc and 13 of 13 effort from the free throw line.  She was joined in double figures by Macey Gandee who had 13 points and just missed her third double-double with nine rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Lady Hornets play host to Missouri Southern on Saturday, February 7 on Community Heroes Day at White Auditorium. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m.

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