Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Mar. 4) -- Four Central Washington University players scored in double figures, including 23 points by junior JC Cook (Canby, Ore.), but the Wildcat men's basketball team saw its postseason hopes take a major hit with a 92-85 home loss to Montana State Billings on Thursday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The Wildcats, ranked eighth in the NCAA Division II West Region this week, dropped their third straight game and fell to 15-10 overall and 9-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Montana State Billings improved to 15-9 overall and the Yellowjackets are also 9-6 in league play.

Central shot 41.4 percent from the field in the first half in building a 35-33 advantage at the intermission, overcoming a nine-point deficit at the 9:56 mark with a 14-2 run over the ensuing seven minutes. That streak was actually extended to 18-4, giving the Wildcats their largest lead of the half -- five points -- with 44 seconds left, but a three-pointer by DaVell Jackson in the closing seconds of the period made it just a two-point differential at the half.

The Wildcats held the lead until the 11-minute mark remaining. Montana State Billings took the lead and never trailed the rest of the way, but the Yellowjackets didn't lead by more than three points until more than five minutes later, taking a four-point edge with 5:57 left. The closest that Central got the rest of the way was a three-point deficit with 4:17 remaining, but a 17-6 run over the next 3 1/2 minutes -- mostly on free throws -- enabled MSUB to take a 14-point lead and never look back. Similar to last Sunday in its loss to Western Washington, Central made four three-pointers over the game's waning seconds, but the Wildcats were unable to come all the way back.

Central spent most of its time on the perimeter in Thursday's loss, attempting 36 three-point field goals and making just 12. Conversely, the Wildcats were 14 of 32 from inside the arc, but were outscored 34-26 in the paint.

Cook was the primary shooter from three-point range, attempting a school-record 19 treys and making seven en route to his 23 points. Senior Jon Clift (Spokane/Joel E. Ferris HS) scored 10 and had seven assists without a turnover, but was just 2 of 8 from three-point range and 4 of 12 overall. Front court players Chris Sprinker (Tacoma/Curtis HS) and Roby Clyde (Connell/Pasco HS) both threatened for double-doubles, posting double-digit rebounding totals with 11 and 12, respectively, but the duo combined for just 17 points. Senior Riley Sivak (Ellensburg) and sophomore reserve Shane Miller (Moscow, Idaho) scored 14 points apiece for the Wildcats.

Montana State Billings finished the game with a commanding advantage at the free throw line, due largely to Central's last-minute rally attempts. The Yellowjackets attemped 40 free throws in the second half, making 28 during that span. Offensively, Jackson led all scorers with a season-high 34 points, converting on 12 of his 16 field goal tries and 9 of 12 at the foul line. Fellow guard DeAndre Chambers added 26 -- two shy of his season-high -- and accounted for five of MSU Billings' eight made three-pointers.

Central Washington, which finished with a 48-37 rebounding edge, will close out the 2009-10 regular season on Saturday night (Mar. 6) against Saint Martin's on Senior Night. The Wildcats will then await their postseason fate, which will be announced early next week.