Ellensburg, WA (Dec. 6) –Just two games into their Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule the Central Washington University women's basketball team has already matched its conference win total from the 2013-14 as they defeated Western Oregon University Saturday night, 60-34, to improve to 2-0 in the GNAC.
 
The Wildcats now stand with a 5-2 overall record on the season, while the Wolves fall to 2-5, 1-1 in the GNAC.  This is the first time CWU has started with a 2-0 conference record since the 2005-06 season.
 
Freshman point guard Jasmin Edwards stuffed the stat sheet scoring a 15 points, and added four rebounds, four steals, and three assists despite not playing the final 9:23 of the game. The Wildcats outscored the Wolves 29-13 in the second half to take the final 60-34 advantage.
 
"Jasmin Edwards came into the game focused and agressive offensively," CWU head coach Jeff Harada said.  "She looked for her shot a little more and attacked the basket, two things we really wanted her to do."
 
Edwards was a menace in the first half scoring 10 of her points in the stanza including two of the Wildcats first four baskets as the home team built a 7-0 lead to start the game.  Western Oregon went on a brief 9-3 run to cut the Wildcat lead to one, but that's as close as it got in the first half as CWU took a 31-21 halftime lead.
 
Central Washington opened the second half on an 19-2-run powered by a three pointer by Edwards and layups by Courtney Johnson and Alexis Berrysmith to build a 39-21 lead, then a three pointer and a pair of free throws by Hannah Shine helped extend the Wildcat advantage to 50-23 with just over seven minutes remaining in the half.  The Wildcats outscored the Wolves 29-13 in the second half to take the final 60-34 advantage.
 
"Our offense in the second half was fueled by our defense," Harada said.  "We talked about doing better on their post who scored a ton in the first half and creating turnovers.  We fixed those things and it obviously made a big difference."
 
The Wildcats stifling defense held the Wolves in check all game as the visitors to 22.9 percent shooting, making just 11 of their 48 shot attempts in the game.  Central Washington forced 18 turnovers assisted by the Wildcats eight steals, all of which came in the second half.
 
Shine also had a standout game for the Wildcats pouring in 16 points on 5 of 8 shooting, 3 of 4 from behind the arc.  Johnson came into the game as the Wildcats' leading scorer averaging over 18 points a game, but with the success of Edwards and Shine she found other ways to be productive hauling down eight rebounds and dishing out five assists.
 
"Hannah shot the ball well tonight and that was good for her, and Courtney did what was needed from her tonight," Harada said about his seniors.  "More than individual stats I am happy for the team.  They trust each other and they trust and execute the scouting report. I am really excited they get to experience this type of success."
 
Up next the Wildcats take on Concordia University on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.