Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Jan. 26) -- Juniors Mark McLaughlin (Bothell/Inglemoor HS) and Kevin Davis (Federal Way/Todd Beamer HS) combined for 47 points and 14 rebounds, helping lead the Central Washington University men's basketball team to an 81-70 home victory over Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The win enabled the Wildcats to finish the first half of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play above the .500 mark at 5-4 in league games, and CWU is now 11-6 overall. Northwest Nazarene fell to 9-8 overall and 3-6 in the conference.

McLaughlin scored 29 points, including 12 of 17 at the free throw line, while adding five rebounds and four assists without a turnover. Davis, meanwhile, had the best game of his young season with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four blocked shots off the bench. The 6-foot-9 center was 6 for 6 from the field and led CWU in rebounds in just his third game since rejoining the team on Jan. 14.

CWU had the game in its command for nearly the entire first half and midway into the second half before NNU tied the score at the 11:07 mark and then took the lead almost a minute and a half later. The Crusaders' first lead since the second minute of the game was short-lived, though, as CWU went back in front on a pair of free throws by senior Jordan Coby (Tacoma/Woodrow Wilson HS) 27 seconds later. The Wildcats did trail again, facing a 62-60 deficit at the 7:19 mark, but a three-pointer by Coby put CWU back in front and a basket by McLaughlin at the 5:45 mark gave the hosts the lead for good. CWU closed the game on an 18-7 run following that final tie, including a 10-3 differential in the final 3:21 that included eight made free throws and a tip dunk by Davis.

After committing five turnovers early in the contest, CWU finished the game with just 10 miscues and was a plus-7 in that department. The Wildcats were edged in rebounding by a 33-30 count -- despite a team-high nine from Davis -- but they had 16 assists and five blocked shots and converted on 45.3 percent from the field (24 of 53). CWU also made seven three-pointers in the game.

McLaughlin was 7 for 17 from the floor including 3 of 7 from three-point range. Coby also made 3 of 7 from long distance, finishing with 13 total points to join McLaughlin and Davis in double-figure scoring. Led by Coby and Davis, the CWU bench outscored Northwest Nazarene's reserves by a resounding 41-10 count.

Kevin Rima led Northwest Nazarene with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, making 9 of 12 from the field as the Crusaders shot 44.9 percent for the game (22 of 49). Jonathan Hawkins added 17 points and four assists before fouling out.

CWU, which won two of its three games on this most recent home stand, returns to the road next week to face the Alaska schools. The Wildcats' next home game is Feb. 7 against Simon Fraser University.