ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Dec. 30) – A quartet of Wildcats picked up double-digits in the scoring ledger, but the Central Washington University women's basketball team fell 93-89 to Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Concordia University (Ore.).
 
The Wildcats fall to 6-6 on the season and 2-2 in GNAC competition, while the Cavaliers improve to 8-4 overall and 2-2 as well in conference.
 
Jasmin Edwards led the Wildcats' offense with 23 points and seven assists.  She grabbed five defensive rebounds also.  Sadie Mensing finished with 17 points and three rebounds.  Alexis Pana added 12 points, five assists, five rebounds, one block, and four steals.  Taylor Baird rounded the double-digit scorers, compiling 10 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double.
 
The Wildcats scored 44 points in the bench, while their bench chipped in for 18 points, and shot 47.5 percent from the floor. While they hit nearly 50 percent from the floor, they struggled at the line, shooting just 61.5 percent at the charity stripe. 
 
The Cavaliers shot 43.8 percent from the floor, including a 7-for-10 mark from beyond the arc in the first half.  They used the Wildcats' 18 turnovers to their advantage, compiling 21 points off of turnovers.  The Cavaliers' bench recorded 27 points.
 
"Tough one to swallow tonight," CWU Head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said.  We put together good moments on both ends of the floor, however we struggled to put it together for the entire 40 minutes.  We're going to take this game as a learning opportunity to work on our consistency and energy throughout the entire game."
 
The opening stanza of play concluded with just a three-point differential after the Wildcats closed the gap from eight with a trey by Pana and a buzzer beating layup from Edwards, 24-21.
 
Concordia opened the lead up to 11 as halftime loomed, 51-40.
 
A seven-point run midway through the third quarter from the Wildcats cut Concordia's lead down to two, 57-55.  The scoring stalled for three minutes until Edwards knocked down a free throw, making the score 57-56.  A layup from Concordia and a free throw from Kaelie Flores concluded the scoring in the third quarter, giving Concordia a 59-57 advantage with one period to play.
 
The final quarter ebbed and flowed towards either bench, but the Cavaliers held their slim lead throughout the period.  The Wildcats forced the score down to just a single possession lead, including down to one once, but they could not regain the advantage.
 
The Wildcats are back in action on Thursday (Jan. 4) as they head to Lacey, Washington and take on Saint Martin's University.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.