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ELLENSBURG (Nov. 23) -- Five Central Washington University players scored in double figures, including a game-high 30 points from senior MARK MCLAUGHLIN (Bothell/Inglemoor HS), as the Wildcats overcame a 14-point first-half deficit to defeat Brigham Young University-Hawaii, 100-93, on Saturday afternoon at Nicholson Pavilion.

The Wildcats evened their record at 2-2, dividing two games at this weekend's GNAC/PacWest Challenge. BYU-Hawaii fell to 1-3 overall.

McLaughlin made 17 of 18 free throws en route to his 30-point performance, which also included seven assists and four rebounds. Senior teammates KEVIN DAVIS (Federal Way/Decatur HS) and JB PILLARD III (Kirkland/Juanita HS) each posted double-doubles, with Davis scoring 17 with 12 rebounds and Pillard adding 14 points and 11 boards. Davis also blocked five shots, had three steals, and was 7 of 13 from the field, while Pillard was 5 of 6 shooting.

Guards JOSHUA LORD (Jr., Tacoma/Mount Tahoma HS) and JALEN PEAKE (Fr., Yakima/West Valley HS) also scored in double figures, totaling 14 and 11, respectively.

CWU scored the game's opening points, but was then playing from behind for most of the next 30 minutes. The Wildcats finally regained the lead with 9:38 remaining in regulation, but they couldn't shake the Seasiders despite extending the lead to six with 2:49 left. BYUH scored seven of the next eight points to tie the game, and the lead see-sawed into the final minute of regulation.

The Wildcats led by two with 24 seconds left after Lord split a pair of free throws, but BYU-Hawaii tied the game on two free throws by Jerome Harris with nine seconds to go, and a McLaughlin lay-up rimmed off as time expired to force overtime.

In the extra period, neither team scored for the first 90 seconds before BYU-Hawaii took the lead on a three-pointer by Luke Aston. McLaughlin countered by scoring a layup and three-pointer -- his first made trey in four games this season -- and then added two more free throws to stretch his individual scoring run to seven points. CWU took the lead for good on a Peake lay-up with 1:19 left in overtime -- on an assist from McLaughlin -- and the Wildcats iced the game down the stretch by making seven of eight free throw attempts in the final minute and Davis added a key block to help keep the Seasiders off the board.

"We didn't panic when we got into overtime," CWU head coach Greg Sparling said. "Our guys did a nice job of getting stops when they had to, and that block Kevin had down the stretch was phenomenal."

Sparling also commended the play of his three freshmen, highlighted by Peake and his career-high 11 points in 13 minutes. TERRY DAWN (Arlington) played 23 minutes off the bench and scored seven points, while MARC RODGERS (Los Angeles, Calif./Middlebrooks Academy) had a three-pointer in nine minutes of action.

"I thought they really stepped up," Sparling said. "They took a step forward and did a nice job -- both with the offense and especially with the defense."

CWU finished the game with a 43-37 edge in rebounding and making 30 of 35 free throws. The Wildcats committed 18 turnovers, but 14 of those were in the first half.

BYU-Hawaii saw starting forwards Scott Friel and Jordan Ngatai score 18 points apiece, and each had five rebounds. Robbie Mitchell, an all-tournament team selection, finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and five steals, while DeAndre Medlock had 14 points.

Joining Mitchell on the all-tournament team was McLaughlin, who averaged 26 points in two tournament games, plus Justin Long of Hawaii Pacific and teammates Patrick Simon and David Downs from Seattle Pacific. Downs was the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

CWU will remain at home for the Thanksgiving holiday, returning to action on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 3 p.m. versus Walla Walla University.