Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Jan. 22) -- Freshman Amber Moser (Willamina, Ore./Sheridan HS) and sophomore Stacy Albrecht (Federal Way/Thomas Jefferson HS) led a balanced scoring effort with 10 points apiece, but the Central Washington University women's basketball team was unable to make it two wins in a row after falling to visiting Northwest Nazarene University, 71-54, on Saturday evening at Nicholson Pavilion.

The Wildcats, who had won their last contest last week against Montana State Billings, fell to 6-9 overall and 1-7 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. NNU improved to 10-7, including 5-4 in GNAC action.

A total of five CWU players scored either nine or 10 points in the contest, as starters Aleyse Evans (Sacramento, Calif./Mesa Verde HS), Alisha Love (Chelan), and Sophie Russell (Olympia/River Ridge HS) added nine points apiece in the Wildcats' most balanced scoring effort of the season. Moser accounted for 10 of Central's 15 bench points.

The first half was a very closely contested affair, featuring two ties and eight lead changes. Central led by as many as three on two occasions, but following their last three-point advantage at the 6:46 mark of the opening period, Northwest Nazarene scored six straight points to take a three-point lead, the Crusaders did not trail again. NNU led 31-27 at halftime despite shooting just 29.4 percent in the period.

Central Washington forced the game's final tie just over two minutes intot he second half, knotting the game at 33-33 on a basket by Russell, but an ensuing four-point run by NNU gave the Crusaders the lead, and after the Wildcats closed to within six, the visitors extended their lead to 15 points at the 6:07 mark thanks to an 11-2 run.

The Wildcats shot just 33.3 percent (10 of 30) in the second half, and finished the game making just 2 of 15 three-point attempts to match their season-low of 13.3 percent from long distance. Central was also outrebounded by a 45-39 count while committing 28 turnovers.

Northwest Nazarene, which too had a balanced scoring effort with eight players scoring six or more, and was led by Beth Johnson with 12 points and eight rebounds, took advantage of a good transition game in scoring 19 fast-break points. The Crusaders also scored 21 points off CWU turnovers and held a 26-15 edge in bench scoring.

Central Washington will return to the road for its next two games, traveling to Simon Fraser on Thursday (Jan. 27) and Western Washington on Saturday (Jan. 29). The Wildcats' next home game is Feb. 3 versus Alaska Anchorage.