Women's Basketball | 3/1/2016 3:48:00 PM

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Feb. 29) – On the heels of a thrilling victory over the number two seed Montana State Billings to close the regular season, the Central Washington University women's basketball team heads to Lacey, Washington for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
"We are definitely happy and excited to play in the conference tournament," CWU Head Coach Jeff Harada said.  "The returning players got a taste of what postseason basketball is like last year and this year I feel we'll be less in awe and more focused on the task at hand." 
 
The Wildcats enter the tournament as the five-seed and face the fourth-seeded Simon Fraser University.
 
 "We are confident and know we can play with anyone if we bring the right attitude and energy to each game," Harada added.
 
During the regular season Central and Simon Fraser split the season series, 1-1.  The first contest was played in Burnaby, British Columbia where the Wildcats claimed a 64-50 victory.
 
Senior Jasmine Parker, who was recently named to the All-GNAC Second Team, notched a double-double with 10 rebounds and 19 points. 
 
Jasmin Edwards added 13 points.
 
The Clan returned the favor when they came to Ellensburg in early February.  Led by Ellen Kett and Elisa Homer, the Clan claimed a 56-48 victory.  Kett recorded 19 points, while Homer picked up 11.
 
Mandy Steward led the Wildcats with 16 points.
 
The Clan finished 15-10 in the regular season with a 13-7 mark in GNAC play.  Both Kett and Homer were All-GNAC selections.
 
Homer leads the offense for Simon Fraser, averaging 16.7 points per game, while Alisha Roberts follows behind at 12.2 points per game.
 
"Simon Fraser is a very good team with some very good shooters and scorers.  Homer, Kett and Roberts really stretch you out on defense and you have to guard their post players who can finish inside," Harada acknowledged.  "I know we'll be up for the challenge and I expect a very competitive game."
 
The Clan averaged 69.7 points per game on the season, while shooting 42.2 percent from the floor.  Simon Fraser's defense allowed just 64.7 points per game and posted a rebounding margin of plus-one.
 
The Wildcats stopped a late season skid, winning two of their last three games.  The victories not only kept Central in the playoff hunt, but elevated them into the five-seed.  Central closed the regular season with a 10-10 conference record.  The Wildcats' 10^th ranked defense is allowing just 55.7 points per game. 
 
Defensively, Parker has posted 69 blocks and set both the all-time and single-season record for blocks.  She is also the leading defensive rebounder in CWU history.
 
Offensively, Edwards leads the Wildcats' scoring.  She is averaging 11.7 points per game and 5.4 assists per contest.  Parker is second, averaging 10.8 points per game. 
 
The Wildcats claimed Freshman of the Year for the second year in a row as Steward received the honor.  She averaged 10 points per game.  Steward drained 45 shots from beyond the arc.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Lacey, Washington on Thursday (Mar. 3).  Live stats and video will be available on GNAC.tv.