Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ore. (Feb. 7) -- Junior Jessica VanDyke (Chester, Mont./Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS) scored a game-high 26 points, but the Central Washington University women's basketball team was unable to overcome a 15-point halftime deficit in its 78-72 loss to Western Oregon University on Thursday evening.

The loss was the fourth in a row for CWU, which fell to 8-11 overall and 3-8 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. Western Oregon earned its third conference win of the season (3-9) while improving to 8-14 overall. The two teams split their season series.

VanDyke scored the game's first basket -- a three-pointer -- on the Wildcats' first possession, but that was one of just two leads CWU had over the course of the game. The second Wildcat lead came at the 12:44 mark when freshman Jasmine Parker (Spokane/Mead HS) scored a lay-up for a 14-13 edge, but WOU quickly regained the lead and did not trail again.

CWU kept the score close for most of the first 12 minutes of the game, but after a 20-18 deficit, the Wildcats were outscored 21-8 over the final 9:43 of the opening period and faced a 41-26 disadvantage at halftime. That was aided by a 51.7-percent efficiency from the host Wolves in the opening period, while CWU made just 9 of 31 from the field (29.0 percent).

The Wildcats opened the second half on a 17-5 run to get to within three points, but WOU responded with a 12-2 spurt to extend the lead back to 13 points. The lead hovered between six and 14 points over the final 5 1/2 minutes of the contest.

CWU had a productive and efficient second half, outscoring WOU 46-37 over the final 20 minutes and making 51.3 percent of their shots in the final stanza. Included among that efficiency was a 17 for 24 performance (70.8 percent) inside three-point range, but the Wildcats finished the game making just 6 of their 27 treys and were outscored 20-8 at the free throw line.

For VanDyke, it was her sixth 20-point outing of the season including the third in her last four games. She matched her season-high of 26 points (one shy of her career-high) after going 9 for 22 from the field including 4 of 14 from three-point range. Junior guard Leslie Stillar (Nine Mile Falls/Lakeside HS) added 16 points, while Parker and junior Ally Schmitt (Snohomish) finished with 10 apiece.

Western Oregon was led by Lorrie Clifford, who had 24 points and a game-high five assists. Mariah Durian added 13 points, Melissa Fowler had 12, and Amber Reade totaled 10 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves.

CWU will remain on the road this Saturday (Feb. 9), visiting Saint Martin's University in Lacey for a 5:15 p.m. contest. The Wildcats' next home game is next Thursday (Feb. 14) versus the University of Alaska Anchorage.