Box Score

BURNABY, British Columbia (Jan. 13) -- Junior Dom Williams (Tacoma/Curtis HS) scored 19 of his team-high 21 points in the first half, and the Central Washington University men's basketball team came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat Simon Fraser University, 89-84, on Saturday night at West Gym.

The Wildcats earned a split of their road trip and improved to 9-5 overall (3-3 Great Northwest Athletic Conference). Simon Fraser remained winless in GNAC play (0-5) and fell to 5-8 overall.

Williams made 7 of 11 field goals, including 5 of 8 three-pointers, all in the first half, but did not take a shot in the second half. Instead, junior Nate Walker (Tacoma/Henry Foss HS) led the Wildcats' offensive charge after halftime, as he made 6 of 7 shot attempts and grabbed eight rebounds (five offensive) over the final 20 minutes.

CWU fell behind by as many as 11 points midway through the first half, as Simon Fraser took a 30-19 lead with 11:27 to go in the period. The Wildcats clawed their way back with a 16-4 run over the next 4 1/2 minutes, and they led by as many as four with 1:06 to go before halftime.

Simon Fraser tied the score on its first possession of the second half, but CWU regained the lead on a pair of free throws by junior Mark McLaughlin (Bothell/Inglemoor HS), and a three-pointer by McLaughlin three possessions later pushed the margin to five. The Wildcats led the rest of the way, icing the game in the final minute by making five of six free throws in the final 37 seconds.

The Wildcats' shooting percentage also included a 10 of 24 (41.7 percent) night from three-point range, sparked by Williams' efficiency from behind the arc. CWU converted on 22 of 31 shots (71.0 percent) from two-point range, led by Walker (7 of 8), senior Derrick Davis (Tacoma/Clover Park HS; 4 of 5), and junior Chris Holmes (Seattle/Franklin HS; 4 of 5).

McLaughlin finished with 18 points, while Walker totaled 15 points and eight rebounds and senior Jordan Coby (Tacoma/Woodrow Wilson HS) finished with 11 points. Senior Jordan Starr (Yakima/A.C. Davis HS) was credited with seven assists and just one turnover.

Taylor Dunn, who played for CWU during the 2010-11 season, led Simon Fraser with a game-high 24 points as he made 8 of 12 from the field. Three other Clan players scored in double figures.

CWU returns home next week, taking on Montana State University Billings on Thursday (Jan. 17) and Seattle Pacific University on Saturday (Jan. 19). Both games are slated to tip at 7 p.m. inside Nicholson Pavilion.