Box Score
SEATTLE (Dec. 4) -- Junior
JC Cook (Canby, Ore.) led five players in double figures with 21 points, and Central Washington shot a season-best 53.1 percent from the floor, but the Wildcats came up just short in their upset bid against top-ranked Brigham Young-Hawaii in a 94-90 loss to the Seasiders on Friday evening at Brougham Pavilion.
The loss drops the Wildcats' record to 2-2, while BYU-Hawaii improves to 4-0.
The game, which was the opener in the four-team SPU Tournament, featured nine ties and six lead changes. Central trailed 46-41 at halftime despite making 5 of 7 three-point attempts and 54.5 percent of all shots in the first period, but they played from behind -- including a deficit as great as 12 points -- for the final 13 1/2 minutes before halftime.
After the break, sophomore
Roby Clyde (Connell/Pasco HS) scored on each of Central's first two possessions to cut the deficit to one, but the Wildcats would not tie the score again until the 14:13 mark when a
Toussaint Tyler (Kent/Kentwood HS) basket capped an 8-0 scoring run that knotted the score at 57 apiece. The run was extended to 22-8 as CWU took its largest lead of the game -- six points -- with 10:08 left, but BYU-Hawaii responded with a 6-0 spurt to tie the score. Another 6-0 run by the Seasiders broke the game's final tie (83-83 with 4:51 to go), and the Wildcats got no closer than three points the rest of the way.
Although Central Washington finished with an advantage in field goal percentage (53.1-48.4), three-point percentage (a season-best 52.6-44.4), rebounds (36-35), and assists (18-12), and were even in the turnover department (16-16), the Wildcats were outscored by 14 at the free throw line as the Seasiders attempted nearly twice as many foul shots (36) as Central had (19). Cook keyed the Wildcats' efficient shooting night by making 5 of 7 three-pointers and 8 of 13 shots overall en route to his 21 points. Junior center
Chris Sprinker (Tacoma/Curtis HS) had 18 points and seven rebounds, converting on 7 of 9 field-goal attempts, while Clyde had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Junior
Humberto Perez (Yakima/A.C. Davis HS) came off the bench to add 14 points, while Tyler finished with 10.
BYU-Hawaii was led by Tsung-Hsien "Jet" Chang with a game-high 27 points, while three other Seasiders also scored in double figures. Rory Patterson added 20 including six three-pointers.
Central Washington will continue tournament play on Saturday night against NAIA member Carroll College (Mont.) at 5 p.m. The Wildcats will then return home for a single home game with Walla Walla University next Wednesday (Dec. 9) at 7 p.m.
