Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Feb. 9) -- Junior KEVIN DAVIS (Federal Way/Todd Beamer HS) had a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds, and teammate MARK MCLAUGHLIN (Jr., Bothell/Inglemoor HS) added a game-high 26 points, but the Central Washington University men's basketball team fell to second-ranked Western Washington University, 92-82, on Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The Wildcats fell to 13-8 on the season, including 7-6 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. Western Washington won its 28th consecutive game overall, including 22 straight this season, and is now 13-0 in GNAC games.

Davis' double-double was aided by an 8 for 12 shooting performance and 10 offensive rebounds. His efforts on the boards helped CWU outrebound a Viking squad that came into play with a plus-9.3 rebounds-per-game margin, 55-46. The Wildcats finished the game with 29 offensive rebounds after shooting just 36.9 percent (31 of 84).

McLaughlin surpassed his conference-leading per-game scoring average, making 8 of 21 from the field and 8 of 13 at the free throw line. He also had eight rebounds to trail only Davis in that department for the Wildcats.

The game was close early, with four ties in the first four minutes, and McLaughlin accounted for the first nine points of the game for CWU. The lead hovered back and forth through the midway point of the first half, but after the Wildcats held a 24-23 lead on a lay up by junior CHRIS HOLMES (Seattle/Franklin HS) at the 7:01 mark, Western Washington closed the first half on a 19-9 run.

Neither team shot well in the opening half, as CWU held Western Washington to 37.2 percent but made just 36.1 percent of its own attempts.

WWU opened the second half on a 17-11 spurt over the first seven minutes to take the lead to 15 points, and the lead remained in double digits until the 2:30 mark remained in the game. However, CWU got no closer than a seven-point deficit, and the Vikings iced the game at the free throw line, making 5 of 6 at the stripe in the final minute.

Aside from McLaughlin and Davis, no other CWU player scored in double figures. Senior DERRICK DAVIS (Tacoma/Clover Park HS) finished with nine points and six rebounds (five offensive), while senior JORDAN COBY (Tacoma/Woodrow Wilson HS) added eight off the bench, but both players struggled from the field, making 3 of 9 and 3 of 12, respectively. Senior BRANDON MAGEE (Spanaway/Bethel HS), who finished 3 for 5 from the floor, joined KEVIN DAVIS as the only Wildcats to shoot better than 50 percent.

Western Washington saw two players reach double figures. Starter Richard Woodworth matched McLaughlin as the game's high scorer with 26, while Rico Wilkins scored 24 off the bench including 4 of 6 from three-point range. Paul Jones had a double-double of 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Vikings, who won for the ninth time in the last 11 series meetings between the two rivals.

CWU returns to the road for three straight games, beginning with a Thursday night (Feb. 14) match up at nationally-ranked Seattle Pacific University. The Wildcats will also visit Montana State University Billings (Feb. 16) and Northwest Nazarene University (Feb. 23) before playing their next home game -- Feb. 28 versus Western Oregon University.