Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team looks to earn win number seven in the MIAA Tournament when it faces the Pittsburg State Gorillas Wednesday night in Municipal Auditorium in Downtown Kansas City.

The seventh-seeded Lopers (16-12) are a super 31-9 all-time against the 10th-seeded Gorillas (11-17). That includes an 81-80 overtime decision back on January 4th at the Health & Sports Center. Check the Loper schedule page for media links and the tip time. Due to the tourney format the hopeful start time of 8:15 maybe later.

UNK has won three games in K.C., the last being a 75-69 decision over Washburn during the 2016-17 season. The Lopers reached the finals during the 2015-16 campaign to earn their other two downtown wins.

Pitt State beat Lincoln and Central Missouri tie come in a four-way tie for eighth place in the MIAA Standings. The Gorillas are 7-8 at home, 3-6 on the road and 1-3 at neutral sites. Led by veteran coach Kim Anderson Pitt is averaging 74 points per game and allowing 76. They shoot 44% from the field and average 8.4 threes a night. Four different Gorillas have sunk at least 41 threes to date.

In the loss to the Lopers back in January the Gorillas went 7 of 16 from behind the arc and got 22 points in 22 minutes from 6-9, 260 pound junior post Antonio Givens II. The Kent (Ohio) State transfer was 10 of 15 from the field and 2 of 4 at the line while also having eight boards and two steals. He is at 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds on the year.

UNK won thanks to 35 points and nine boards from Morgan Soucie as well as a 17 of 23 effort from the line. Pitt finished 19 of 29 at the charity stripe. Besides Givens II, Pitt is paced by 6-3 senior guard Jah-Kobe Womack (14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists per game) and 6-0 senior guard A.J. Walker (16.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game). The pair combined for 28 points in the loss to UNK.

Kearney comes in with three All-MIAA players in Soucie and seniors AJ Jackson (Bellevue West) and Kyle Juhl (Harlan, Ia.). The Gorillas counter with Walker, an honorable mention pick. UNK currently is first in the league in assists per game (15.3) and threes allowed (6.4) while ranking second in both steals (.2) and turnover margin (+2.5). While the Lopers score 72 points a night they allow only 69.

The UNK-PSU winner advances to a Thursday night quarterfinal matchup against second-seed and nationally-ranked Rogers State (23-5).