LACEY, Wash. (Feb 28) -- The Central Washington University women's basketball team secured its first ever Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament berth despite losing to Saint Martin's University 49-46 Saturday night in Lacey, Wash.
 
The Wildcats (12-14, 7-11 GNAC) needed a win to firmly secure a tournament berth, but losses by Montana State Billings and Alaska gave CWU its first ever trip to the GNAC postseason as the sixth seed and will play third seeded Western Washington on Wed. Mar 4.  Saint Martin's (11-15, 8-10 GNAC) will also make a tournament appearance as the fifth seed.
 
"It's bitter sweet, we really wanted to win this game and finish in the top half of the GNAC."  CWU Head Coach Jeff Harada said.  "But our season is still alive and we were able to sneak in.  After being picked to finish last in the conference I am proud of what our girls accomplished this year, the credit goes to them."
 
The Wildcats started the game off cold missing their first five shots before Erika Locker made a layup five minutes into the game.  The Saints weren't shooting much better making one of their first seven, but made three free throws and led 5-3 before Locker scored again to tie the game at five.
 
Courtney Johnson gave the Wildcats a 9-7 lead hitting a three-pointer off the left wing, and after the Saints answered with a three of their own Jasmine Parker scored in the paint to regain the lead.
 
Saint Martin's followed with a 5-0 run and at the 7:49 mark led 15-11.  Saint Martin's lived at the free throw line in the half making 10 of 13 building a 26-17 lead.
 
Central Washington shot just 22.7-percent (5 of 22) in the half and SMU shot just a shade higher at 30.4 (7 of 23).
 
"Saint Martin's was more physical than us in the first half and caused us to take shots that we don't normally take,"  Harada said.  "We made adjustments both offensively and defensively in the second half and were more effective, I just wish we could have done that earlier."
 
The Wildcats closed to within one of the Saints shortly into the second half on a three by Johnson and a pair of buckets by Hannah Shine that included a three-pointer.
 
The Saints went on a 10-2 run and led 38-29 with 10:04 left.  Johnson hit a free throws by Parker and Jasmin Edwards cut the lead to four.  A layup by Johnson and two free throws from Edwards pulled the Wildcats to within one-point at 40-39 with over six minutes left. 
 
Johnson gave the Wildcats their first second-half lead with a long basket from front past the arc and followed with a fast break layup putting CWU up 44-40 with 5:05 left.  Parker completed a 10-0 run for CWU with a tough layup from under the basket.
 
The Saints closed the gap and managed to go on a 5-0 run to cut the CWU lead to 46-45 with a minute and a half left in the game.  The Saints scored a basket to regain the lead with just 37-seconds remaining.  After a CWU timeout, Parker turned the ball over and forced CWU to foul and send the Saints to the foul line.  The home team made both shots, and Johnson was unable to tie the game on a last second three as the Saints won the contest 49-46.
 
"The way we see it now is that we are 0-0 going into the conference tournament and it is win or go home," Harada said about the teams mind set going into the GNAC Tournament.  "There is a lot of fight in these girls and we don't plan on going home any time soon."
 
The Wildcats will kickoff the GNAC Tournament with a 5:15 p.m. MST. matchup on Thursday Mar. 4 against Western Washington.
 
For more information about the GNAC Tournament check GNACsports.com.