DENVER - Central Washington Women's Basketball came close to a second straight road win but fell just short. The Wildcats dropped a 69-67 contest to the Metropolitan State University Denver Roadrunners.
The Wildcats (3-3) finished the game with a 35.1 shooting percentage, while the Roadrunners (1-5) shot 43.1%. CWU produced more points in the paint, 24-20, and on second chances, 12-9. The MSU Denver reserves had a stronger performance with a 22-11 scoring edge.
"We didn't play with enough consistent effort on the defensive end to win this game. Credit to MSU Denver for they're effort and energy," CWU Head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said. "They definitely deserved to win this one. We must learn from tonight and respond correctly this week in preparation for conference play."
Despite the low shooting percentage, CWU was productive scoring the ball with double-digit points in every quarter. The first quarter proved to be the highest with CWU scoring 21.The opening frame started in the Roadrunners favor with a quick 4-0 lead but it did not last long.
CWU responded scoring seven unanswered. A long three from Alexis Pana got the run started as the Wildcats held a three-point edge with 7:03 to play.
Both teams continued to trade made shots for the final seven minutes of the first quarter as they traded the lead four times in that span. The Wildcats retook the lead at 14-13 at the 4:04 mark and never relinquished for the rest of the frame.
The Roadrunners got within two, 18-17, with :36 to play but a JonNae Richardson triple in the closing seconds gave the Crimson and Black a 21-17 advantage after one.
The Roadrunners put up 19 second quarter points while holding the Wildcats to 15. The back-and-forth scoring affair led to 36-36 tie going into the halftime break.
MSU Denver got within one, 22-21, early in the second but Taylor Shaw answered for CWU with a three-pointer to put the team up 25-21. The Roadrunners then scored five straight points to grab their first lead of the quarter, 26-25.
With just over seven minutes to play it became a game of trading the lead and ties. There were three lead changes and three ties. The Roadrunners led by four, 36-32, with 1:42 to play but a 4-0 run by CWU tied the game going into the break.
The first three minutes of the third belonged to the Wildcats. They retook the lead right out the gate, 38-36, and outscored MSU Denver 10-4 to lead 46-40.
The Roadrunners looked to keep their deficit within single digits and did for the rest of the third. Despite the spurts, CWU never let up it's third quarter lead. Pana guided the Wildcats offense scoring 12 of their 19 points. Helping MSU Denver stay within four, 55-51, going into the fourth was a 15-point third quarter.
The Roadrunners tied the game at 57-all with 7:59 to play in regulation. A pair of free throws by Samantha Bowman and a quick layup by Pana pushed the CWU lead back to four, 61-57.
With over six minutes left in the game, the Wildcats offense stalled scoring just six points the rest of the frame.The Roadrunners had the opposite effect and scored 12 points to steal the victory from CWU by just two.
Pana led all scorers with a game-high 28 points while dishing out four assists. She was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures. Richardson scored 11 in her first game of the season. Shaw and Bowman both chipped in 11, while Shaw was tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight. Kaelie Flores scored six points and also grabbed eight boards, which tied a game-high with Shaw.
The Wildcats return home next Thursday, Dec. 5 to begin conference play. CWU host Seattle Pacific in its Great Northwest Athletic Conference Opener with top-off set for 5:15 p.m. PT inside Nicholson Pavilion.
