BILLINGS, Mont. (Jan. 13) – The Central Washington University women's basketball team fell to Montana State Billings, 86-84, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game.
 
The Wildcats are now 8-8 on the year overall and 4-4 in GNAC matchups.  The Yellowjackets improve to 12-6 overall and 5-3 in GNAC play.
 
Sadie Mensing led the Wildcats' offense with 20 points and seven rebounds.  She also recorded a team high six assists.  Taylor Baird and Beverly Verduin each recorded 12 points, while Kaelie Flores chipped in 11.  Flores also recorded seven rebounds.
 
The Wildcats finished 48.4 percent from the floor, including 10 made three's.  They hauled in 31 rebounds, three blocks, and six steals.  The Wildcats scored 14 points off of turnovers, 32 in the paint, and the bench chipped in for 25.  Central finished  14-for-21 from the charity stripe.
 
Verduin, Lorentson, and Mensing combined for the game's first six points, as the Wildcats began the contest on a 6-0 run.  They extended their lead to 11 with 4:12 left in the first on a jumper by Kassidy Malcolm, 14-3.
 
Central gained its largest lead of the first quarter with 53 seconds on the clock.  A jumper from Jasmin Edwards pushed the Wildcats' advantage to 24-11, but the Yellowjackets brought the Wildcats' advantage back to single digits with just seconds remaining in the period.
 
Early in the second quarter, the Wildcats gained a 10-point lead once more.  A three from Verduin gave Central a 31-21 lead, but the Yellowjackets answered on their next possession with a layup from Vanessa Stavish.  The Wildcats marched right back down the floor and Verduin knocked down another three, giving Central a 34-23 lead.
 
The Yellowjackets chipped away at the Wildcats' lead, bringing the score to 40-37 at the end of the half.
 
Montana State Billings took its first lead of the contest with 6:49 to play in the third quarter, 46-44.  A layup from Alexis Pana 18 seconds later levelled the score.  Pana was fouled on the play and made the and one, giving Central a 47-46 advantage.
 
A see-saw battle erupted through the middle of the third stanza, but with 2:20 left Mensing made a layup and a turnover gave the Wildcats possession once more.  Verduin took advantage of the turnover and drained a three for a 57-52 margin.  The third quarter closed at 63-58 in favor of Central.
 
Montana State Billings cut the Wildcats' advantage to 65-64 a minute and a half into the final stanza and then claimed a one-point lead with six minutes to play.  A layup from Baird and a Pana free throw brought the lead back to the Wildcats, 71-69.
 
With just 5:34 left on the clock, Alisha Breen drove to the hoop for Billings, making the shot and drawing a foul.  She converted the free throw for a 72-71 lead.
 
A three from Flores with 3:33 left levelled the score line at 74-74, but Stavish knocked down a three from the Yellowjackets to reassume a lead they would not relinquish.