Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Feb. 14) -- Freshman Amber Moser (Willamina, Ore./Sheridan HS) had 12 points and nine rebounds, and the Central Washington University women's basketball team outshot visiting Simon Fraser University in every shooting department, but the Wildcats fell to the Clan, 64-61, on Monday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The loss dropped the Wildcats (7-15, 2-13 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) to 1 1/2 games behind Simon Fraser (6-13, 3-11 GNAC) in the race for eighth place in the conference standings, dealing a serious blow to Central's aspirations of qualifying for the eight-team GNAC tournament. CWU, which has now lost 25 consecutive series meetings to SFU, has just three games remaining in the 2010-11 regular season.

Central led for the final 4:29 of the first half, emerging from a period that had four ties and seven lead changes. The Wildcats led 31-27 at the break after shooting 38.7 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.

After halftime, Simon Fraser scored 13 consecutive points (as part of an overall 15-0 run) and held CWU scoreless until the 11:07 mark remaining in the game. The Wildcats' drought totaled nearly 10 minutes (9 minutes, 55 seconds), and they were never able to make up the deficit, with the closest margin being three at the final buzzer.

The two teams were nearly identical in every major statistical category, including shooting percentages, where the host Wildcats actually had the advantage from the floor, three-point range, and the free throw line. CWU finished the game at 38.7 percent after shooting an identical 12 of 31 in the second half (24 of 62 overall), but Central was outscored by three from three-point range and by two at the foul line. In the turnover department, the Wildcats had 20 miscues to Simon Fraser's 18, and the Clan finished with a 44-42 rebounding edge thanks to Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe's 12 boards.

Individually, each team had three players score in double figures. Junior Sophie Russell (Olympia/Black Hills HS) led the Wildcats with 13 points, followed by Moser's 12 and 11 from junior guard Alisha Love (Chelan). Moser topped the Wildcats in rebounding, while sophomore Stacy Albrecht (Federal Way/Thomas Jefferson HS) added seven boards. Freshman point guard Daisy Burke (Spokane/Lewis and Clark HS) had six assists and three steals.

Raincock-Ekunwe, the top scorer and rebounder in the GNAC, finished with game-high totals of 14 points and the 12 rebounds in 29 minutes of action. Kia Van Laare added 13 points, while Carla Wyman had 11 points, five rebounds, and seven assists for SFU.

Central Washington will play its final away game of the 2010-11 regular season on Saturday (Feb. 19) at Northwest Nazarene University. The Wildcats will then wrap up their home schedule with a pair of games next week, hosting Western Oregon on Feb. 22 and Saint Martin's on Feb. 24.