ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Dec. 19) – A strong first half, in which the Central Washington University women's basketball team outscored Western Oregon 40-24, led the Wildcats to a 72-62 victory over the Wolves in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchup.
 
The Wildcats are 6-5 overall and improve to 2-1 in GNAC play.  The Wolves fall to 5-4 and 1-2 in conference.
 
Jasmin Edwards led the Wildcats with 18 points, 11 coming in the first half of play.  She added five assists, three rebounds, and four steals to her night as well.  In addition, she went 6-for-8 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe.
 
Taylor Baird notched a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
 
The Wildcats controlled the floor from the first whistle.  In just the first half alone, Central Washington racked up 10 steals and shot over 53 percent from the floor.   The Wildcats scored 24 points in the paint, 20 points off of turnovers, and the bench chipped in for 15 points.  The Wolves held the lead only once during the contest, a 4-2 advantage just over a minute into the first quarter.
 
"I'm happy with our effort today," CWU Head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said.  "However our execution lacked on both sides of the floor.  But to win this game despite this is very encouraging and a good way to head into break."
 
An 8-6 score, in favor of Central, quickly became 16-8 after an 8-0 run from the Wildcats.  Central closed the first quarter with an 18-12 lead.
 
The Wildcats outscored Western Oregon 22-12 in the second period, taking a 16-point lead into the locker room for halftime.
 
After controlling the contest throughout the first half, the Wildcats were outscored 41-32 in the third and fourth quarters combined.  A 5-for-11 mark from beyond the arc helped the Wolves climb back into the game, including four threes from Kennedy Corrigan.
 
The Wildcats held their largest lead of the contest with 2:47 left in the third, a 20-point margin.  The Wolves battled back in the fourth quarter, cutting the difference into a single digit, but their efforts went for naught as the Wildcats held on for the win in their final game before break due in part to seven free throws in the final three minutes.