LACEY, Wash (Dec. 31) – The Central Washington University women's basketball team earned its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory over Saint Martin's University in a 72-66 affair.
The Wildcats are back to .500 on the season (6-6) and are now 1-3 in the GNAC. It is also the first road win of the season for Central Washington. The Saints fall to 4-8 overall and remain winless in the GNAC at 0-4.
Taylor Baird, fresh off of a double-double against Seattle Pacific, landed her second consecutive double-double. The junior center picked up 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Jasmin Edwards also notched a double-double, scoring 10 points and dishing out 10 assists.
"I was proud of how we fought and battled to earn the win," CWU Head Coach
Jeff Harada said afterward. "It was a tough, physical game and could've gone either way. We made shots when we needed them tonight and hopefully we can continue to do so for the rest of the season."
Five Wildcats recorded double digit scoring efforts.
Rachel Lorentson (14),
Kortney Grattic (14), and
Sadie Mensing (13) joined Baird and Edwards atop the offensive effort.
The Wildcats' offense shot a season high 50 percent from the field and added six threes, three of which came from Grattic. Central Washington's approach at the charity stripe was a key factor in the victory, converting 26 times.
The Saints led for the majority of the first quarter until Grattic hit a three with 3:12 remaining, leveling the score at 8-8. Central held off Saint Martin's in the final three minutes of the first, claiming a 15-13 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Saint Martin's briefly reclaimed an advantage in the second, 21-20, on a jumper by Mercedes Victor with 5:16 to play.
Central wiped the Saint's lead and a see-saw battle erupted in the second stanza. The second culminated in a 34-34 score at the end of 20 minutes, thanks to a pair of free throws by Lorentson.
A 10-0 run in the third quarter gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game, 46-39, with 6:42 on the clock. The Saints put a small dent in the Wildcats' advantage, 56-51, as the teams readied for the final stanza.
A three-pointer by Baylee Olson gave Saint Martin's life in the fourth, tying the score 60-60. Both sides exchanged looks on offense until the Wildcats claimed a seven-point advantage with 53 seconds to play. The Wildcats made six free throws in the final 90 seconds, securing their 78-70 victory.
Central Washington is back in action on Thursday (Jan. 5) against Simon Fraser University in Ellensburg. Live stats and video will be available through wildcatsports.com.
