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This Week's Schedule:
Sodexo Tip-Off Classic at Brougham Pavilion (Seattle Pacific University), Seattle, Wash.
Friday, Nov. 15, 1 p.m.: CWU vs. Point Loma
Saturday, Nov. 16: 1 p.m.: CWU vs. Montana Tech

Last Week's Results:
No games (previous game: Nov. 2: L, 91-60, at Seattle University -- exhibition)

The Central Washington University women's basketball team will begin its third season under head coach Shawn Nelson (18-34 at CWU) with the first of two games at the Sodexo Tip-Off Tournament, hosted by Seattle Pacific University, on Friday at 1 p.m. The Wildcats take on NCAA Division II newcomer Point Loma Nazarene University in Friday's tournament opener, followed by a Saturday match-up with Montana Tech also at 1 p.m.

CWU played one exhibition contest, falling 91-60 to Division I Seattle University on Nov. 2 in the Emerald City. Point Loma did not play an exhibition contest, and the Sea Lions, in their second year of provisional NCAA Division II membership, went 14-13 a year ago under head coach Bill Westphal (USC, 1966; 300-149, 15th year at PLNU).

The Wildcats return 10 letter winners from a year ago, when they went 9-17 overall and 4-14 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference games. Four of those returnees are seniors -- and all are projected starters -- with Ally Schmitt (Snohomish), Daisy Burke (Spokane/Lewis and Clark HS) and Jessica VanDyke (Chester, Mont./Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS) patrolling the perimeter and Amber Moser (Willamina, Ore./Sheridan HS) anchoring the post. Sophomore Jasmine Parker (Spokane/Mead HS) is also back as a starter in the front court.

Two reserves -- juniors Courtney Johnson (Kent/Kentwood HS) and Erika Locker (Ferndale) -- combined to give CWU a major spark in its exhibition against SeattleU. That duo accumulated 28 of the Wildcats' 60 points against the Redhawks in a reserve role, with Johnson leading the way with 16 points and Locker finishing with 12. Each made four three-pointers among 10 treys for the Wildcats in 26 attempts.

Perimeter play will continue to be a key part of the Wildcats' repertoire, led by VanDyke, a two-time all-GNAC selection who has totaled 135 three-pointers made in her first two seasons at CWU. The 5-foot-9 senior was a pre-season all-conference choice this season and has also been one of the Wildcats' top rebounders since transferring from Carroll College in 2011.

CWU is looking to make improvements after consecutive 9-17 seasons under Nelson, who took over in June 2011 following eight successful seasons at Carroll College in Helena, Mont.

The Wildcats' Saturday opponent, Montana Tech, competes as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Frontier Conference -- the same conference in which Carroll was affiliated during Nelson's tenure. The Orediggers are off to a 3-1 start under first-year head coach DeAnn Craft (UCF, 1987), including a 66-58 win at Evergreen on Wednesday. Montana Tech plays tournament host Seattle Pacific University on Friday evening before taking on CWU on Saturday.

In the all-time series versus this weekend's tournament opponents, CWU leads 1-0 over Point Loma and 4-1 over Montana Tech. The Wildcats defeated PLNU, 92-65, at a tournament in Nampa, Idaho, on Nov. 24, 2001, in the only previous meeting with the Crusaders/Sea Lions. Meanwhile, CWU won its first four series meetings with Montana Tech prior to a 61-53 home loss to the Orediggers on Dec. 10, 2009.

Following this weekend's play, the Wildcats will make their Nicholson Pavilion debut with a Nov. 23 game against Quest University (B.C.) at noon.

CWU PROBABLE STARTERS
PG: 12 ALLY SCHMITT (5-7, Sr.-1V, Snohomish, Wash.)
SG: 14 DAISY BURKE (5-6, Sr.-3V, Spokane, Wash.)
SF: 22 JESSICA VANDYKE (5-9, Sr.-2V, Chester, Mont.)
PF: 52 JASMINE PARKER (6-0, So.-1V, Spokane, Wash.)
C: 42 AMBER MOSER (6-0, Sr.-3V, Willamina, Ore.)

CWU RESERVES
10 CHANTEL HEATH (G, 5-6, Fr.-HS, Davenport, Wash.)
20 MOLLIE KRAMER (G, 5-9, Jr.-JC, Colton, Wash.)
24 HANNAH SHINE (G, 6-0, So.-1V, Lynden, Wash.)
30 MELANIE VALDEZ (G, 5-5, So.-1V, Richland, Wash.)
32 ERIKA LOCKER (G, 5-10, Jr.-JC, Ferndale, Wash.)
34 COURTNEY JOHNSON (F, 6-0, Jr.-2V, Kent, Wash.)
40 ANGELA WOODS (G, 5-8, Jr.-JC, Seattle, Wash.)
50 NINA CALDWELL (F/C, 5-9, So.-1V, Tacoma, Wash.)
54 INDIA MATHESON (C, 6-1, So.-1V, Lake Forest Park, Wash.)

NOT WITH THE TEAM (VOLLEYBALL)
1 LAUREN HERSETH (G, 5-6, Jr.-HS, Olympia, Wash.)

ALL-TIME SERIES
vs. Point Loma (CWU leads 1-0)
Nov. 24, 2001 at Nampa, Idaho: CWU 92, PLNU 65

vs. Montana Tech (CWU leads 4-1)
Dec. 7, 1978 at Ellensburg: CWU 88, MT 62
Nov. 22, 1983 at Ellensburg: CWU 68, MT 59
Dec. 29, 1984 at Butte: CWU 84, MT 68
Nov. 18, 1988 at Spokane: CWU 80, MT 59
Dec. 10, 2009 at Ellensburg: MT 61, CWU 53