Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Dec. 17) -- Four different Central Washington University men's basketball players scored in double figures, and the fifth-ranked Wildcats defeated the California State University San Bernardino Coyotes, 71-65, in its final game of the Great Western shootout on Friday afternoon.

The Wildcats rebounded from their first loss of the season to improve to 9-1 overall. CSUSB also split its two games in Las Vegas and fall to 3-3 on the year.

Senior Humberto Perez (Yakima/A.C. Davis HS) led all scorers with 16 points on 6 of 12 shooting and grabbed a season-high five rebounds. Junior Jody Johnson (Seattle/Franklin HS) came off the bench to score 12 points for Central, including a perfect 8 of 8 at the free throw line.

The Wildcats produced their lowest first-half point total of the season, trailing the low-scoring affair by a 25-21 count. Both teams shot an identical 38.1 percent on 8 of 21 in the half, and were nearly identical in rebounds with Central holding a slim 14-13 advantage over the Coyotes.

The pace picked up in the second half as Central was able to more than double its first-half point total. The Wildcats took their first lead of the second half just 3:59 into the final period on a three-pointer by senior Jamar Berry (Tacoma/Franklin Pierce HS). The teams would trade leads before Central would build an eight-point advantage at the 7:10 mark and did not trail again. The Wildcats iced the game with six consecutive made free throws in the final 15 seconds.

Perez scored 12 of his points in the second half and helped Central Washington shoot 54.2 percent (13 of 24) in the half with just five turnovers. The Wildcat defense forced 12 Coyote turnovers in the half and 24 for the game, converting those miscues into 29 points.

The Wildcats outscored the Coyotes by nine points from the free throw line in the contest, shooting a season-best 86.2 percent (20 of 23) from the line while CSUSB shot 61.5 percent (16 of 26).

One day after letting two opposing players score 20-plus points, the Wildcat defense only allowed one Coyote player to score in double figures as Aaron Hill led CSUSB with 11.

Berry supplemented the Wildcat offense with 13 points and made six of seven free throw attempts, while senior point guard Drew Harris (Yakima/Eisenhower HS) also scored in double figures with 10 points including 6 of 6 from the charity stripe.

The Wildcats, who have played their last eight games away from home, will return to Nicholson Pavilion for two more games during the holiday break. Central will return to Great Northwest Athletic Conference play by hosting Alaska Anchorage on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m., and Alaska on New Year's Day (Jan. 1) at 3 p.m.