Box Score
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Jan. 19) -- Junior
Leslie Stillar (Nine Mile Falls/Lakeside HS) had season-highs of 22 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, leading the Central Washington University women's basketball team to a 74-64 road victory over the University of Alaska Anchorage on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
The win enabled CWU to complete its first weekend sweep in the state of Alaska since the 2004-05 season. The Wildcats, who improved to 8-7 overall and 3-4 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, posted a 69-49 win at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday night. UAA fell to 8-7 overall and 2-5 in the GNAC with Saturday's loss.
Stillar, making her second consecutive start, fueled the Wildcats' offense with a 6 of 12 shooting performance including 4 of 7 from three-point range. CWU made 10 of 25 three-pointers and was credited with 23 assists on its 25 made baskets.
The Wildcats cruised out to an early lead, reaching a double-digit advantage for the first time at 24-13 with 9:58 to go in the first half. The lead later reached 17 points with 4 1/2 minutes to go before halftime, but an 8-0 run by the host Seawolves made it a nine-point differential at the half.
CWU actually lost its lead after UAA opened the second half on a 20-6 run, enabling the Seawolves to go in front 50-45 with 12:40 remaining. CWU responded with a 14-0 spurt, though, to take a nine-point lead, and the Wildcats then had to fend off a rally down the stretch. Alaska Anchorage closed to within two (63-61) with just under four minutes left, but Stillar scored 10 of her points over that final stretch, including 6 of 6 at the free throw line in the final 38 seconds.
Four of the five CWU starters shot 50 percent or better in the contest, with freshmen
Hannah Shine (Lynden) and
Jasmine Parker (Spokane/Mead HS) each scoring 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting. Parker added a team-high nine rebounds as the Wildcats won the rebounding battle, 39-36, over the Seawolves. Shine added three three-pointers, and sophomore
Courtney Johnson (Kent/Kentwood HS) came off the bench to add 10 points for CWU. Juniors
Jessica VanDyke (Chester, Mont./Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS) and
Daisy Burke (Spokane/Lewis and Clark HS) had five assists apiece.
Alaska Anchorage, which played just six players in the game, was led by the 16 points each of Alysa Horn and Jessica Madison. Kylie Burns scored eight while pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds, and Alli Madison finished with eight points and eight assists for the Seawolves.
CWU will return home for a pair of games against nationally-ranked foes next week. The Wildcats host archrival Western Washington University (ranked eighth this week) on Thursday (Jan. 24) at 7 p.m. before taking on 10th-ranked Simon Fraser University on Saturday (Jan. 26) at 5:15 p.m.
