Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Jan. 7) -- Sophomore Sophie Russell (Olympia/River Ridge HS) scored 14 points, and senior teammate Shaina Afoa (Anchorage, Alaska/A.J. Dimond HS) added 11, but the Central Washington women's basketball team was outmatched by eighth-ranked Alaska Anchorage in its 77-42 loss to the visiting Seawolves in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener for both teams on Thursday evening at Nicholson Pavilion.

Central fell to 3-8 on the season and 0-1 in GNAC play with the loss. Alaska Anchorage, the preseason GNAC favorite and two-time defending national semifinalist, improved to 11-1 and 1-0.

The Wildcats struggled offensively throughout against the nation's top defensive team, scoring just 13 points in the first half and shooting 23.1 percent from the field in falling behind 31-13 at the intermission. Central got on a bit of a hot streak to open the second half, scoring nearly as many points in the first 3:36 of the half (12) as it had in the entire opening period, but the 15-point deficit they faced at that point was as close as the Wildcats would get. CWU went scoreless for almost six minutes after their early spurt, during which time Alaska Anchorage had reeled off 17 straight points.

While Central did not start well offensively, UAA also sputtered in the opening period. The Seawolves didn't reach double figures until the 11:23 mark remaining in the first half, and they shot just 38.9 percent in the first period. However, a 57 percent second half enabled Alaska Anchorage to finish the game at 47 percent from the floor.

CWU used just eight players in Thursday's contest, and the team's third-leading scorer, Jenn Jacobs (Bremerton), was held scoreless in 17 minutes off the bench. Russell, who became the first Wildcat to play all 40 minutes in a game this season, had 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists without a turnover. However, one of the league's most efficient three-point shooters (46.4 percent entering play Thursday) made just 1 of 5 from long distance. Afoa added 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists with just one turnover.

Alaska Anchorage utilized 12 players, 11 of whom scored. Nikki Aden led all players with 17 points on 5 of 6 shooting (3 of 4 three-pointers) and added six rebounds. Leah Stepovich made four three-pointers in as many attempts off the bench to total 12, while center Hanna Johansson finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Four of Johansson's five boards were on the offensive end, helping the Seawolves take a commanding 50-25 edge on the glass.

Central Washington will look for its first GNAC win of the season on Saturday night (Jan. 9) against the Alaska Nanooks beginning at 7 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) at Nicholson Pavilion.