Box Score
NAMPA, Idaho (Nov. 24) -- Junior
Daisy Burke (Spokane/Lewis and Clark HS) made four three-pointers and finished with a season-high 16 points, but the Central Washington University women's basketball team saw a five-point halftime lead disappear in a 73-64 loss to Academy of Art University on Saturday afternoon at the Fairfield Inn Classic at the Johnson Sports Center.
The Wildcats finished the tournament winless in their two games, falling to 3-2 on the season. Academy of Art, which competes in the Pacific West Conference, improved to 5-1 on the year.
CWU had a rough shooting game for the second straight night, finishing at 31.7 percent on 20 of 63. The Wildcats shot just 25.8 percent in the second half and attempted just eight free throws after halftime -- a drastic difference after attempting 37 free throws overall in the team's loss to 24th-ranked Metro State on Friday afternoon at the tournament.
The lead went back and forth in the first half, with the Wildcats leading for most of the first 4 1/2 minutes before the Urban Knights took the lead. AAU led until the 5:28 mark, when CWU junior
Ally Schmitt (Snohomish) made all three of her free throw attempts after being fouled on a three-point attempt. The Wildcats trailed again briefly on the next possession, but regained the lead on a Schmitt basket and took a five-point advantage into the halftime break.
The margin reached seven in the Wildcats' favor with 14:53 to go in the game, but Academy of Art chipped away at the deficit. Five ties ensued over the next 10 minutes before the Urban Knights took the lead for good with 4:42 left as part of a game-ending 17-4 run. CWU converted just one field goal -- a jumper by junior
Amber Moser (Willamina, Ore./Sheridan HS) with 1:15 left -- over that span.
Burke helped carry the CWU offense in the first half with 13 of her points in 16 minutes off the bench. She attempted just one shot -- a made three-pointer midway through the period -- in the second half.
Moser finished one rebound shy of her third career double-double, totaling 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Schmitt added 12 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and four steals, but was just 1 of 8 from the floor. She accounted for more than half (10) of the Wildcats' 16 made free throws in the game.
Academy of Art had three scorers in double figures, led by a double-double outing from Katy Wade, who had 18 points, 15 rebounds, six blocked shots and five steals. Jordan Rogers added 16 points, while reserve Ariel Dale finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.
CWU will be on the road again next weekend, opening up Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with contests at Montana State University Billings and Seattle Pacific University on Thursday (Nov. 29) and Saturday (Dec. 1), respectively.
