Box Score
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Jan. 8) -- The Central Washington University women's basketball team managed just 37 field goal attempts, and 36 turnovers proved to be costly in the Wildcats' 68-45 loss to 12th-ranked Alaska Anchorage on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
The defeat was the fourth in a row for Central, who fell to 5-7 overall and 0-5 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference with the loss. Alaska Anchorage improved to 13-3 overall and 4-1 in the GNAC.
The Wildcats, who two nights earlier had set a school record with 39 three-point attempts in their overtime loss to the Alaska Nanooks in Fairbanks, totaled two fewer overall shots in Saturday's loss while firing up just 12 three-point tries. Central turned in one of its best shooting nights of the season from the free throw line, however, making 15 of 19 (78.9 percent).
Central led just once in Saturday's contest, scoring four straight points after an early 2-0 deficit to lead 4-2 at the 18:18 mark. After that, however, UAA scored nine straight counters to build a seven-point edge, and thhe Seawolves' advantage reached double figures with 8:15 left in the first half. Alaska Anchorage led by 14 (38-24) at halftime.
The Wildcats struggled in the second half, shooting just 27.8 percent and making just five field goals in the period. They also committed 20 of their 36 turnovers after halftime, as CWU had its highest single-game total for turnovers since 37 miscues at Portland State on Nov. 25, 1994.
Only one player reached double figures for CWU, as junior
Sophie Russell (Olympia/River Ridge HS) finished with 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting. Sophomore
Stacy Albrecht (Federal Way/Thomas Jefferson HS) and redshirt freshman
Kelsi Jacobson (Spokane/University HS) added eight points apiece, while Albrecht led the Wildcats with seven rebounds.
Alaska Anchorage, which used 15 players in the contest, had four players with 10 or more points including three of its starters. Tijera Mathews made four three-pointers and finished with a game-high 14 for the Seawolves.
Central Washington will hope a return to Nicholson Pavilion will help them return to the win column, although the Wildcats' upcoming three-game home stand features three tough opponents beginning with 17th-ranked Seattle Pacific on Thursday (Jan. 13) at 7 p.m. CWU also hosts Montana State Billings (Jan. 15, 2 p.m.) and Northwest Nazarene (Jan. 22, 5:05 p.m.) before its next road game.
