Women's Basketball | 2/8/2017 3:46:00 PM

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Feb. 8) – The Central Washington University women's basketball team plays host to the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the No. 2 University of Alaska Anchorage in a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchups.
 
The Wildcats picked up a win on the road last week against No. 24 Simon Fraser University, 73-66.  Central sits at 9-13 overall on the season and 4-10 in GNAC play.
 
"We know what we are capable of," CWU Head Coach Jeff Harada said.  "We know that we can hang with the best teams in the conference on any given night.  I thought our defense really helped us in that game and we were able to make shots.  Anytime you are able to shoot 50 percent from the field and make half your threes it is a good thing, it's a great thing for us."
 
Jasmin Edwards set the CWU career assists record by dishing out nine assists, giving her 381 on her career, and passing Kristen Willis' 378.
 
Sadie Mensing sunk a three with four seconds remaining in regulation, sending the game into overtime.  Beverly Verduin shot 80-percent from the floor and totaled 10 points off the bench.
 
"We need those types of efforts off the bench," Harada noted.  "We need people to come in and be sparks.  I thought Bev was big and I though Kaelie Flores played really well.  She had eight points and six rebounds, a couple big blocked shots.  The more we can get from our bench the better our opportunities are."
 
The Wildcats are currently eighth in the GNAC, two games behind Northwest Nazarene.  The Crusaders are 6-9 in GNAC play and play Alaska Anchorage on Thursday (Feb. 9).
 
"Tomorrow's game is a championship-type game for us, it's a must win," Harada added.  "We need to take that next step if we expect to make a run into the postseason."
 
Alaska Fairbanks is coming off of a split last weekend against Western Oregon and Concordia.   The Nanooks are 7-7 in GNAC competition.  The last time out against Central Washington the Nanooks picked up a 69-55 victory.  Jordan Wilson led the way with 17 points, while Kaillee Skjold recorded 16.
 
Wilson leads the Nanooks on the season, averaging 21.1 points a night.  Skjold averages 15.6 a game and she leads Alaska in rebounding, tallying 9.1 points per game.
 
"I want a good effort," Harada acknowledged.  "I expect to us to come in and compete.  They have two really good post players in Wilson and Skjold.  We have to keep them below their averages, we need to limit them and shut down their role players."
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 9) in Nicholson Pavilion.
 
Alaska Anchorage enters the week as No. 2 in the WBCA Coaches Poll with a record of 21-1 overall and a perfect 13-0 in GNAC play.  Last week, the Seawolves recorded a pair of victories against Concordia (Ore.) and Western Oregon in which they scored 91 points in both games.
 
"We didn't play well our first time up there," Harada said.  "You can only do so much in practice, you can't simulate their speed or aggression.  Our new kids got their first taste of it and hopefully, going into Saturday, I think we will be more relaxed and poised.  I think we will have a much better effort."
 
Last time out against Central Washington, the Seawolves picked up an 86-48 victory.  Autummn Williams finished with a team high 22 points.  She leads Anchorage in scoring on the season, averaging 19.9 points per game.  Sierra Afoa leads the Seawolves in rebounds, pulling in 4.6 per game.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 11).  Live stats and video are available for both games on wildcatsports.com.