Women's Basketball | 1/22/2015 12:34:00 PM
ELLENSBURG, Wash (Jan. 22) – The Central Washington University women's basketball team will play its lone game this Saturday, Jan. 24, versus Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho.
The Wildcats enjoyed a long rest week after coming off a two-game road trip in which the team went 1-1. CWU handled Montana State Billings in the first game last week, winning 75-54 then lost to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference leader, Seattle Pacific University, 52-67.
"The extra rest and practice this week couldn't have come at a better time," Head coach
Jeff Harada explained. "We are excited to close out the first half of conference with the opportunity to finish over .500 in league play. NNU is a good team and we know how difficult it is to play on the road in the GNAC."
The Wildcats are looking to take their win total into double-digits for the first time since the 2007-2008 season when they had 13. Currently, the Wildcats' record sits idly at 9-7 overall and 4-4 in conference.
The Crusaders enter the contest on a five-game slide, having dropped nine of their last 10 games. NNU is led by Taylor Simmons who leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.6 points per game while her running mate, CoCo Gall, averages 12 points per game while grabbing a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game.
"Simmons has been a consistent player for them all season long, but they also have other players capable of hurting you so it'll be a good challenge for us to come out focused and put together a solid game for 40 minutes," Harada said.
The Wildcat will counter with senior
Courtney Johnson who leads CWU in scoring averaging 13.8 points per game. Freshman standout
Jasmin Edwards is second on the team in scoring with 13.4 points per game while dishing out 4.3 assists per game to go along with four rebounds per game.
Jasmin Parker has been coming on late as she has registered double-digit scoring games in the team's last four contests.
"I like our mindset right now and the players know what is at stake for us this weekend," Harada added. "I really hope we rise to the occasion and play how we are capable of playing."
Saturday's game marks the final road game of a three-game road swing, as the Wildcats will return home to battle both Alaska teams in Nicholson Pavilion.
