Box Score
Central Washington women's basketball team had a difficult start to the 2014 New Year with a 75-64 loss at home to the Alaska Nanooks.

The loss drops CWU to 0-3 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference Play and 5-6 overall. The Nanooks improved to 1-2 in the GNAC and 7-5 overall.

The Wildcats couldn't overcome a game-long shooting slump, including starting out the evening 0-for-13 behind the three-point line and shooting just 32% in the first half. Making matters worse was Alaska's 53.8% shooting in the first stanza.

CWU opened the scoring with Courtney Johnson(Kentwood HS) scoring one from the three-point line and Jasmine Parker (Mead HS) sinking a layup for the early 3-0 lead. However, Alaska soon took the lead and led for the rest of the game, taking a 7-6 advantage at the 15:31 mark in the first half after Candace Prestwich scored from behind the arc.

CWU's offense went cold midway through the first half, going scoreless from the field for eight minutes and netting just six points on free throws during the drought. Defensively, the Wildcats continued to keep the Nanooks in check though, as Alaska extended its one-point lead to just six during that stretch until the six minute mark of the first half. That lead would expand to double digits by 12 points (31-19) with 2:41 to play in the half before CWU cut the disadvantage in half late in the half. Hannah Shine (Lynden) scored on a layup with 2:25 to play in the half and later would pick up the steal and the bucket at the one-minute mark. Just 15 seconds later on the ensuing possession Ally Schmitt (Snohomish) mirrored the play to go into halftime down by six, 31-25.

The Wildcats threatened early and often to open the second half, cutting the lead to two points two separate times and also down to one after two Parker free throws at the 15:05 mark. It was the closest the 'Cats would come to victory as Alaska regained momentum.

CWU shot just 34% for the game, but outscored the Nanooks in points off of turnovers, 31-16.

Parker and Daisy Burke (Lewis and Clark HS) led the Wildcats with 10 points apiece, with Parker also grabbing seven rebounds and blocking two shots. Alaska's Victoria Milton scored a game-high 17 points, including 11 from the free throw line.

CWU returns home to host Alaska Anchorage at 7 p.m. Saturday at Nicholson Pavilion.