Women's Basketball | 12/27/2016 3:00:00 PM

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Dec. 27) – The Central Washington University women's basketball team returns to action following its holiday break.  The Wildcats are on the road this week for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchups on Thursday (Dec. 29) and Saturday (Dec. 31).
 
The Wildcats take on red hot Seattle Pacific University on Thursday.  The Falcons opened the 2016-17 campaign with a 10-0 start, including winning both games in the opening weekend of GNAC play. 
 
Seattle Pacific's stingy defense is holding opponents to just 48.8 points per game.  The Falcons have not allowed more than 64 points in a single-game.  Concordia Irvine is the only opponent to touch up the Falcons for more than 60 points in a contest thus far on the season.  Opponents are shooting just 32.8 percent from the floor and are being outrebounded 39-32.  The Falcons have forced opponents into 21 turnovers a game, including manufacturing 12 steals a contest.
 
Offensively, SPU is averaging 72 points per game while shooting 43.1 percent from the floor.  Courtney Hollander leads the Falcons' scoring efforts, putting up 13.1 points a game.  Jordan McPhee is also averaging double digits, collecting 11.3 points per game.  Hollander and McPhee are shooting 43.1 percent and 40.5 percent, respectively, from the floor.
 
Not only is Hollander leading the Falcons in scoring, but also in the rebounding effort.  The six-foot junior has pulled in 77 rebounds, averaging 7.7 per game. 
 
Seattle Pacific is coming off a pair of wins from the SPU classic on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17 against Concordia Irvine and Nova Southeastern.
 
The Wildcats close out the 2016 calendar year in Lacey, Washington in a GNAC matchup against Saint Martin's University. 
 
The Saints are 4-6 on the season and are 0-2 in the GNAC after their lone weekend of conference play.
 
Opponents are outscoring the Saints 67-63 through the first 10 games of the season.  Saint Martin's is winless it its last four outings, as opponents have score 70 points or more in each of the four games.  The Saints scored more than 65 points just once in the stretch, putting up 79 in a 79-83 loss to Cal State San Marcos on Dec. 18.
 
Elin Johansson leads the Saints in scoring, averaging 13.5 points per game.  She also leads the Saints in rebounds, averaging 6.7 a game.  Mercedes Victor is the only other Saints' player averaging a double digit scoring effort, tallying 10 points a game.
 
Central Washington has not played a countable game since Dec. 12, where the Wildcats handed Cal State LA an 82-71 defeat. 
 
The Wildcats are averaging 61 points per game, while holding opponents to 58.   Central Washington is shooting 39 percent from the field, but has had struggles beyond the arc in the early goings of the season.  The Wildcats are connecting on just 23.6 percent of their shots from three-point land.
 
Junior transfer Taylor Baird leads the Wildcats in both scoring and rebounding.  The Snohomish, Washington native has made herself comfortable in the Wildcats' lineup, averaging nearly a double-double every contest with 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds.
 
Junior point guard Jasmin Edwards has reprised her role as a catalyst for the Wildcats, putting up 11.9 points and 4.9 assists per game.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 29) against Seattle Pacific, while Saturday's (Dec. 31) game against Saint Martin's is set to begin at 2 p.m.  Live stats and video are available through the GNAC's stretch portal, HERE.