Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Dec. 18) -- Senior Jon Clift (Spokane/Joel E. Ferris HS) scored a team-high 16 points, but Central Washington's explosive offense was held to a season-low 68 points in an 82-68 men's basketball loss to Washburn (Kan.) at the Great Western Shootout in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon.

The loss evens Central's record at 4-4, while the Ichabods improve to 7-3 with the victory.

The Wildcats, who entered Friday's game averaging a Great Northwest Athletic Conference-best 91.0 points per game which is ranked 13th nationally in the NCAA Division II, shot a season-low 38.2 percent from the floor. That outing came on the heels of Central's most efficient offensive game of the campaign on Thursday night, when the Wildcats shot 57.7 percent in their 91-82 win over Fort Lewis (Colo.).

Central started Friday's contest by storming out to a 16-9 lead in the first five minutes. However, Washburn responded with a 10-0 scoring run to take a one-point edge but the Wildcats regained the lead and were ahead entering the final 10 minutes of the first half. The Ichabods broke the game's final tie at 26-26 by going on a 19-7 run over the next five and a half minutes to take a 12-point lead, and the margin was 14 at halftime.

The closest the Wildcats would get in the second half was a seven-point deficit with 13:41 left, but Washburn then scored eight straight points and eventually pushed its advantage to as many as 21 points on two occasions. Central closed the final gap back to 14 after scoring the game's final six points.

Neither team shot the ball especially well in the second half, as Central held Washburn to a 35.5 percent effort after the intermission but shot just 31.8 percent (including 1 of 11 from three-point range) in the final period. The Wildcats did shoot a season-best 75.9 percent at the free throw line, connecting on 22 of 29 and outscoring the Ichabods by 10 at the stripe.

Clift, who was the lone CWU player named to the all-tournament team, made 5 of 12 from the field including 2 of 4 from three-point range. The 5-foot-10 senior also had a career-high six rebounds -- a total that ranked second on the Wildcats behind sophomore Roby Clyde (Connell/Pasco HS), who had eight. Central was outrebounded 44-31, and uncharacteristically committed more turnovers (15) than its opponent (13).

Also scoring in double figures for Central were junior Chris Sprinker (Tacoma/Curtis HS) with 13 points and senior Riley Sivak (Ellensburg) with 11.

Washburn was led by De'Andre Washington's double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, while fellow starter William McNeill added 19 points.

Central Washington will return to action on Dec. 29 at the Falcons Tournament in Seattle, where the Wildcats will take on Colorado Christian at Brougham Pavilion. CWU also plays Academy of Art University at the tournament on Dec. 30 in its final non-conference game of the season. Both contests, which will be played on the Seattle Pacific University campus, are scheduled for 5 p.m. starts.