Men's Basketball | 11/30/2016 4:15:00 PM

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ELLENSBURG, Wash.- The Central Washington University men's basketball team will open its Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule as they prepare to host the University of Alaska Anchorage (Dec. 1) and Alaska Fairbanks (Dec. 3).
 
Both Alaska schools will give the Wildcats a tough test to tip off Great Northwest Athletic Conference play as Anchorage brings a 4-2 record and Alaska stands at 4-4.
 
Anchorage features one of the nation's top scorers in Sekou Wiggs who is averaging 23.2 points per game and shooting 48.2-percent from the field. Corey Hammell ranks second in the GNAC in rebounds, averaging 9.8 per game. The Seawolves started the season 2-0 before losing two of their last four games to Chaminade University and Hawaii Pacific.
 
Alaska has also lost to Hawaii Pacific and Chaminade University this season, but are coming off a big 74-58 victory over Fresno Pacific University. Brandon Davis leads all Nanooks in scoring, averaging 13.6 points per contest. Bangaly Kaba will hope to control the paint for Alaska, hauling in 6.9 rebound a game.
 
The Wildcats (4-1) enters this week with momentum after capturing a 97-74 victory over Walla Walla University. Dom Hunter led all scorers with 22 points on 7 of 15 shooting, and added four rebounds, three assists and three steals.  Naim Ladd followed closely behind with 20 points, making 6 of 12 shots from three-point territory. A total of five Wildcats scored in double-figures with Jawan Stepney adding 14, while Terry Dawn and Sage Woodruff added 13 and 12, respectively.
 
The Wildcats have the highest scoring offense in the GNAC at 94.2 points per game and the most 3-point field goals made (54) so far this season. Central also ranks first in the conference in free throw percentage (0.792) and third in turnover margin (+3.40).
 
Hunter and Ladd have led CWU's high-powered offensive attack, averaging 27 and 19.2 points per game, respectively.  Stepney is also averaging double-figures for the Wildcats (11.0).
 
Central Washington has been extremely accurate from beyond the arch, connecting on 35.5 percent of its three-point attempts. A total of seven Wildcats are shooting over 33.0-percent from behind the arc, led by Ladd who has made 16 of his 41 attempts so far this season.
 
The game time for Thursday's matchup versus Anchorage is scheduled for 7 p.m. and Saturday's game against Alaska will tipoff at 7:30.