Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Dec. 9) -- Central Washington junior JC Cook (Canby, Ore.) scored a career-high 27 points, and the Wildcats shot 60.6 percent from the field in the second half en route to a 100-73 men's basketball victory over visiting Walla Walla University on Wednesday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Wildcats, who evened their record at 3-3. Walla Walla fell to 4-11 on the season.

Central, which is averaging 99.5 points per game in its two home games and 104.0 points per game in its three victories this season, played close with the visiting Wolves in the first half. The Wildcats spent all but 3:19 of the first half with either a single-digit lead or a deficit, and after Walla Walla closed to within five on a three-pointer with 41 seconds left before halftime, Cook came down the floor and knocked down a fast-break trey of his own to give Central a 46-38 lead at the intermission.

Walla Walla kept the game close in the opening minute of the second half, but a 16-0 run turned a five-point lead into a convincing 21-point margin at 64-43 with 14:43 to go in the game. The Wildcats then kept their lead at 20 or more points for almost the entire duration, and the margin reached 30 points with 2:39 remaining after a free throw by senior Noble'D Shelton (Auburn). Central then hit the century mark on its next-to-last offensive possession, as sophomore Shane Miller (Moscow, Idaho) hit a three-pointer with 35 seconds left.

Central had its best shooting game of the year, hitting on 55.1 percent for the game. Front court starters Roby Clyde (Connell/Pasco HS) and Riley Sivak (Ellensburg) led the starters' shooting efficiency by making 5 of 7 and 5 of 8 from the floor, respectively, and Sivak finished as the Wildcats' leading rebounder with seven boards despite playing just 17 minutes. Reserves Miller and Coby Gibler (Bainbridge Island/Bainbridge HS) each made 3 of 4 field-goal attempts, including Miller, who scored nine points in just four minutes of play. All 11 Wildcats to suit up scored at least two points in Wednesday's victory.

In addition to their offensive dominance, which also included a 44-26 advantage in the paint and a 25-11 margin on fast breaks, the Wildcats outrebounded the Wolves 43-34 and forced 24 turnovers while committing just 15.

Cook recorded his third 20-point game of the season and made 7 of 9 shots inside the three-point line. Clyde had 12 points and six rebounds, while junior Humberto Perez (Yakima/A.C. Davis HS) finished with 11 points and Sivak scored 10.

Walla Walla had three double-figure scorers, led by the 17 points of Gerard Dauphin. Ryan Spady came off the Wolves' bench to nearly post a double-double as he finished with 14 points and nine rebounds (including six offensive boards), while Jonny Long scored 13 for the Wolves.

Central Washington will next travel to Las Vegas for the third annual Great Western Shootout. The Wildcats face Fort Lewis College (Colo.) next Thursday (Dec. 17) at 5 p.m. before taking on Washburn (Kan.) at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18. Central's next home game at Nicholson Pavilion will be its Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener on Jan. 7, 2010, against Western Oregon.