Nampa, Idaho –The Central Washington University women's basketball team opened their season in successful fashion, taking down the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters 70-54 on Friday afternoon.
"Feels good to be able to start the season off with a win," head coach
Randi Richardson-Thornley said. "I'm proud of our kids for the improvements we showed from last week."
The Wildcat (1-0) offense was humming to open the contest against the Otters (0-1). The Wildcats outscored the Otters 22-8 in the first quarter. It was a balanced attack, as seven Wildcats scored in the quarter. The Otters were able to cut the lead to 10 in the second quarter. That's where the lead would stay for the Wildcats, as they carried a 37-27 lead into halftime.
The Wildcats maintained their lead throughout the third quarter. The Otters cut the lead to eight with 7:35 remaining in the quarter. A free-throw and a jumper from Shaw sparked a 12-4 run that lasted 3:31. The Wildcats would maintain their lead through the fourth quarter and take the game by 14 points.
A trio of Wildcats scored in double figures on their way to victory.
Taylor Shaw led her team with 18 points on an efficient six-for-10 shooting performance. Known for her shooting, Shaw buried three three-point buckets.
Sadie Mensing added 15 points of her own. She went seven-for-10 from the field, adding six rebounds and three assists.
Alexis Pana scored 10 points. She attacked the basket, earning trips to the free-throw line. She went five-for-seven from the charity stripe. Pana dished out a game-high seven assists.
As a team, the Wildcats shot 46.3 percent from the field knocking down 75 percent from the free-throw line. The Wildcats defense was stiff, suppressing the Otters to a 33.9 field goal percentage.
"While we are happy to see improvements and get a win, there are still plenty we can learn from this game," Richardson-Thornley said. "We must do that and win the recovery battle in order to prepare for a good Stanislaus State team tomorrow"
The Wildcats are back in action in Nampa, Idaho on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against Stanislaus State.
