Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Nov. 20) -- Central Washington University senior Jamar Berry (Tacoma/Franklin Pierce HS) scored a team-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds, leading the men's basketball team to a 101-61 blowout victory over Walla Walla University Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The Wildcats are now 2-0 on the season, and Walla Walla falls to 0-5 on the season.

“Berry did some good things tonight,” said CWU head coach Greg Sparling. “He played extremely well in the open court and he did a good job on the boards.”

Berry logged 28 minutes off the bench for the Wildcats, converting 10 of his 15 shot attempts, including two of four three-pointers. Senior Drew Harris (Yakima/Eisenhower HS) contributed 22 points, 17 of which came in the first half.

Central Washington only used seven players in the game, all of whom played over 20 minutes and five of whom scored in double figures.

“With just seven guys, we did some good things,” Sparling added, “but I am excited to get everyone back on the floor and healthy.”

Also scoring in double figures for Central were Roby Clyde (Pasco/Connell HS) with 14 points, Philipp Lieser (Gottingen, Germany) with 12 points and Coby Gibler (Bainbridge Island/Bainbridge HS), who had his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, eight of which were on the offensive glass.

The CWU defense rattled the Walla Walla offense, totaling 16 steals on the Wolves' 22 turnovers for the game. The steal total is the second-highest single-game total for a Wildcat team in the past nine seasons. The Wildcats held the Wolves to just 25 percent shooting in the first half but 40.7 percent for the game.

Central controlled the area around the basket, as they outscored Walla Walla in the paint 64-20 and had a 48-22 rebounding advantage.

Central Washington jumped out to an early 18-3 lead within the first five minutes of the game, highlighted by two alley-oop dunks by Clyde from senior Chris Scott (Las Vegas, Nev./Bonanza HS). Central ended the first half on a 16-0 run over the final 4:28, taking a 37-point advantage into halftime.

Walla Walla shot much better in second half, but were unable to keep the Wildcats off the boards as Central scored 16 second-chance points in the second half off 12 offensive rebounds and Central Washington walked away with the 40-point win.

Walla Walla was led by Josh Henderson, who scored 12 of his team-high 17 points in second half and made five of his nine three-point attempts.

The Wildcats will next participate in the NNU Thanksgiving Classic, where they face 15th-ranked Metro State on Nov. 26, then faceoff with Sonoma State the following day. Central Washington will not have a home game for nearly six weeks, until they host Alaska Anchorage on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.