Box Score
BURNABY, British Columbia (Feb. 21) -- Junior guard
Ally Schmitt (Snohomish) scored 11 of her team-high 15 points in the second half, and the Central Washington University women's basketball team stayed within striking range of 11th-ranked Simon Fraser University before falling to the Clan, 67-60, on Thursday night at West Gym.
The Wildcats lost their third straight game -- and the seventh in their last eight outings -- to fall to 9-14 overall and 4-11 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. Simon Fraser improved to 19-4 overall and 12-3 in the GNAC.
CWU never led in the game, falling behind on the opening possession and actually trailing 9-0 over the first six minutes. In spite of the early deficit, the Wildcats kept the margin close, using a 12-3 run over a six-minute span midway through the first half to close to within two. Simon Fraser led 31-26 at halftime.
The Wildcats stayed close in the early stages of the second half, again closing the margin to two points at 43-41 with 13:31 to play. However, Simon Fraser scored the next seven points to go ahead by nine, and the Clan's lead reached double figures again three more times, but CWU chipped away down the stretch. A 6-0 run brought it to a four-point game, and the teams traded baskets over the ensuing five minutes, but SFU made three of four free throws in the final 27 seconds to preserve the victory.
CWU lost despite outshooting and outrebounding Simon Fraser. Each team attempted 59 field goals, with the Wildcats making 26 (44.1 percent) to the Clan's 24 (40.7 percent), but the visitors were outscored by a 14-4 count at the line after earning just seven free throw attempts. SFU shot 21 foul shots in the contest. CWU had a 35-31 edge on the glass, with 10 of the 11 Wildcat players to appear in the game grabbing at least one rebound.
Schmitt, who played 30 minutes as a reserve before fouling out, had six assists and three rebounds to go with her point total. Starters
Hannah Shine (Fr., Lynden) and
Jessica VanDyke (Jr., Chester, Mont./Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS) also reached double digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively, as the duo combined to shoot 9 of 14. Freshman
Jasmine Parker (Spokane/Mead HS) finished as the Wildcats' top rebounder with seven boards.
Simon Fraser was led by senior Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, who totaled game-highs of 19 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Kristina Collins added 16 points and six assists, while Chelsea Reist scored 15 for the Clan, which was ranked third in this week's official NCAA Division II West Region poll.
CWU, which has been eliminated from GNAC Tournament contention, plays its final away game of the 2012-13 season this Saturday (Feb. 23) at eighth-ranked Western Washington University. The Wildcats will then close the year with consecutive home games on Feb. 28 and Mar. 2 at Nicholson Pavilion.
