Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho (Nov. 27) -- Central Washington shot a season-best 45.6 percent and junior Jenn Jacobs (Bremerton) had season-highs of 19 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, but a late 12-2 run kept the Wildcat women's basketball team from its first win of the year in an 81-70 loss to Colorado Christian on Friday afternoon at the NNU Thanksgiving Classic.

Central is now 0-3 on the season, with two of its losses coming against Colorado Christian (2-3) over the past seven days. The Wildcats also lost to the Cougars, 70-58, in Seattle last Saturday.

The Wildcats sprinted out to a 13-point lead twice in the first 10 1/2 minutes of the game, trailing just once in the first half at 3-2. Central jumped ahead 25-12 at the 10-minute mark, and matched that margin 30 seconds later, but Colorado Christian gradually chipped away at the Wildcats' lead. In fact, a 13-4 Cougar run over the final 2:57 of the first half turned the double-digit advantage into a one-point lead at the intermission (41-40).

The feverish first-half start was fueled by a 51.6 percent from the field -- Central's best single-half shooting percentage of the season. Nine different Wildcat players scored in the first half, with none of them reaching double figures, although Jacobs had nine points and five assists in the opening period.

After the break, the two teams traded points and leads for the first five minutes before the Wildcats jumped in front with a 12-2 run that extended the advantage to eight at 54-46 with 12:28 left. Colorado Christian stormed right back though, regaining the lead with just over five minutes remaining, and the game remained close until the Cougars scored 14 of the final 18 points over the final 3 1/2 minutes to turn a narrow game into a double-digit victory.

Jacobs led the Central offense with her team-high total for points and assists. She also made 7 of 10 field-goal attempts as the Wildcats outshot their opponent for the first time this season by making 45.6 percent to the Cougars' 43.9 percent. However, Central was outscored by nine points at the free throw line and watched as CCU made 9 of 18 three-point tries.

Sophomore Sophie Russell (Olympia/River Ridge HS) had her second double-digit game of the season with 13 points but was the only other Central player in double figures.

Colorado Christian, which dominated the boards with a 45-26 advantage, had four players score 10 or more points. Juanise Cornell scored 20 while Abby Rosenthal had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Central Washington will wrap up its stay at the tournament with a 1 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (noon Pacific) game against Cal State Stanislaus. The Wildcats will then play their home opener next Saturday (Dec. 5) against Academy of Art University at 7 p.m.