ELLENSBURG, WA (Feb. 17) --The Central Washington University men's basketball team is coming into the week having lost two straight conference games and dropping two spots in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings.  With four games left the Wildcats sit in the sixth and final spot to be eligible for the GNAC tournament.

Head Coach Greg Sparling is confident his team will turn things around. "We had a couple hiccups last week against some good teams, but we can't afford to let that happen again.  Our guys are fighters and are anxious to get back on the court and turn things around."

Central will begin its week with a game against Simon Fraser in Burnaby, British Columbia.  The Wildcats are 50-17 all time versus the Clan, having won their last ten games dating back to the 1997-98 season.  In their last contest Central cruised to a 96-79 victory sparked by a 40-point performance by MARK MCLAUGHLIN where he made 14 of 19 shots from the field.

After that they will head to Bellingham to take on archrival Western Washington.  Although CWU holds a 153-95 all time record over the Vikings, WWU has won 10 of he past 12 matchups with the Wildcats.  The Last time CWU played in Bellingham they lost 86-85 on a last second shot.  This game, just like that one, will be broadcasted live on ROOT Sports which has the Wildcat's players exited.

"Playing at Western is an experience in itself, but having it on ROOT Sports just makes this game even more exiting." Senior guard MARK MCLAUGHLIN said. "Last time we played in this game we felt like we played a great game and should have come home with a win.  I am thrilled at the idea of redeeming ourselves."


McLaughlin Leading the Nation.

MARK MCLAUGHLIN comes into the week as the NCAA Division II leading scorer with 26.8 points per game.  McLaughlin has scored in double figures every game this year, with his lowest point total (11) coming in his last game against the University of Alaska. 

McLaughlin has scored 25 or more points on 12 different occasions and has eclipsed the 40-point plateau three times, which is a school record.

In just two years, McLaughlin has made an impact on the CWU and GNAC record books.  He was the fastest player in school and conference history to reach 1,000 total points and ranks first in CWU history with a career scoring average of 24.5 points.  Earlier this season he became just the second GNAC player to record back-to-back 40-point games as he dropped 43 against Western Washington followed by  a 40 point performance against Simon Fraser.  


KEVIN DAVIS Nearing CWU Royalty

KEVIN DAVIS is just two blocks away from becoming Central Washington Universities all-time leader in blocked shots.  He currently sits with 134 blocks, which is just two swats away from tying the school's record of 136 set four years ago by Chris Sprinker. 

Davis is averaging 2.3 blocks per game, which is the fourth best average in school history and his career mark of 2.2 blocks per game is third best in school history.

He has recorded at least on block in all but two games this season, and has had three or more blocks nine times.


Probable Starters

G -- 23 MARC RODGERS – 6-2, 180 (FR.; Los Angeles, CA/Middlebrooks Academy)
G --03 JOEY ROPPO – 6-2, 172 (So.; Monroe HS)
F -- 32 MARK MCLAUGHLIN – 6-6, 212 (SR.; Inglemoor HS/Seattle U./TCC
F --01 JB Pillard – 6-6, 225 (Sr.; Juanita HS/Whatcom CC/NNU)
C --25 KEVIN DAVIS – 6-9, 225 (Sr.; Todd Beamer HS/TCC)





LAST WEEK RECAPS

VS Alaska Anchorage University (02/13/14)
It became apparent the game was going to be a shootout and the final score proved early indications. Unfortunately for Central Washington University's men's basketball team, the Wildcats fell in a 96-89 decision to the visiting University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.

The loss drops CWU to 11-10 overall and 7-6 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. UAA improved to 14-11 on the season and 7-7 in GNAC play.

The Wildcats, clearly the bigger in the paint, instead started the game doing what Anchorage does best, hitting from the 3-point arc. MARK MCLAUGHLIN (Inglemoor HS), KEVIN DAVIS (Todd Beamer HS) and Marc Rogers all hit long range shots within the first two minutes of the contest to get out to an 11-5 lead. The Seawolves cut it to within one, but the Wildcats again got hot, turning an 11-10 margin into a 22-11 cushion on shots from JOEY ROPPO (Monroe HS) and Davis, in addition to four free throws from McLaughlin.

The Wildcats maintained a healthy lead for the rest of the first half, staying up by double digits for most of the remaining 10 minutes. JEFF BUDINICH (Kentlake HS) and JORDAN RUSSELL (Lincoln HS) both hit two 3-pointers apiece in the latter stages of the half and the Wildcats went into the locker room up by 10 on the Seawolves, 54-44.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the Seawolves came out a bit more focused in the second half, immediately hitting a 3-pointer on their first possession and slowly chipped away at CWU's lead. Up by nine (72-63) with 12:47 to play in the contest, CWU was then outscored by UAA 13-0 during the next 4:34 as the Seawolves earned their first lead of the game.

CWU kept within striking distance, always staying within one possession even regaining the lead at the 3:32 mark, when Russell hit a jumper to make it 84-83 in favor of CWU. Later, down by one, CWU would tie it at 86 apiece with two free throws from McLaughlin, but the visiting Seawolves regained the cushion and kept the lead for the rest of the game.

The Wildcats shot a blistering 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from the 3-point arc, including nearly 59 percent in the first half, but couldn't keep up with the Seawolves who also shot well from long range, hitting 19-of-37 for a 51.4 percent clip. CWU ended the game shooting a respectable 49 percent from the floor overall.

McLaughlin – the nation's leading scorer with a 27.5 points per game average – scored a team-high 28 on the night, including 18 from the free throw line. He and Rogers both netted six assists on the night. Russell – who came into the game averaging a shade more than seven points per contest – had a season-high 23 on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, including 5-of-8 from the perimeter. Davis had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Wildcat bench, led by Russell's 23, outscored Anchorage's bench, 34-11.

Travis Thompson led the Seawolves with a game-high 31 points.


VS University of Alaska (02/15/14)
Central Washington University's men's basketball team started Saturday night hot, but couldn't hold on for the victory in the 85-76 loss to the University of Alaska.

The loss drops CWU to 11-11 on the season and 7-7 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. UA improves to 15-8 and 10-5 in conference play. CWU is tied for fifth with Western Oregon in the GNAC standings.

CWU opened the game at an incredible pace, hitting seven of its first 10 shots from the field in the first six minutes of the game. Down 5-3 with less than two minutes off the clock, CWU then went on an 11-0 run, thanks in large part to the big men, JB Pillard (Juanita HS), KEVIN DAVIS (Todd Beamer HS) and MARK MCLAUGHLIN (Inglemoor HS) who scored nine of the 11 points during the streak.