ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington Wildcats Women's Basketball is back in action this weekend with non-conference bout against an in-region foe. The Wildcats take on Cal State Los Angeles as they continue their five-game homestand.
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs. Cal State LA
Saturday, Dec. 14
7:15 p.m. PT
Nicholson Pavilion
Ellensburg, Wash.
 
QUOTABLE
"We're excited to get back on the floor against a good in-region opponent in Cal State LA," CWU head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said. "They present some different challenges that we haven't seen this year. Our team needs to be intentional in our preparation and continue to improve in those areas we have shown weakness."

TOYS FOR TOTS DRIVE
The Central Washington University Athletics department, along with Wildcat Men's and Women's Basketball are teaming up with the area Marine Corps to sponsor a Toys for Tots Drive during Saturday night's non-conference doubleheader.
 
Anyone that donates a new, unwrapped toy at the doubleheader will receive one free general admission ticket to the doubleheader contest. The toys will be donated to Toys for Tots to support disadvantaged children who may not otherwise receive any presents during the holidays. Fans who bring a new toy can drop them off in the main lobby of Nicholson Pavilion upon arrival.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE LA | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2019-20 STATS
The Golden Eagles come into Ellensburg just one game under .500 with a 4-5 overall record. In conference play, the team in 2-3. The Golden Eagles are winners of their last two games, both in conference, and are 3-3 this season in true road games.
 
Cal State LA's four wins this season have come against Biola, Simon Fraser (B.C.), San Francisco State, and Stanislaus State. The Golden Eagles were 0-3 to start conference play before winning their last two to help create some momentum going into Saturday's game against CWU.
 
Three players are averaging double figure numbers for Cal State LA led by Sydney Bordonaro at 16.4 points per game. She shots 39.7% from the floor overall and is a 47.8% shooter from three-point range. Bordonaro also averages 4.8 rebounds per game, which is third on the team. She is the team leader in assists per game at 2.9
 
Nicole Flennaugh and Alyssa Fisher are the other Golden Eagles averaging double-digit points at 13.7 and 10.8 points per game, respectively. Fisher is second on the team in assists per game at 2.7, while Flennaugh is third at 2.4.
 
Two players are averaging over six rebound per game for Cal State LA in Rachael DiRegolo and Mackenzie Barnes. DiRegolo leads the way on crashing the boards with an average of 6.9 rebounds per game, while Barnes is not far behind with an average of 6.2 boards per game.
 
Barnes does lead the team in steals per game at 1.3 and has 12 total in nine games played. Fisher is second with an average of 1.1 steals per game and has tallied 10 for the season, also in nine games played. DiRegolo is the rim protector averaging 2.4 blocks per game and has 22 so far. Both numbers rank in the top-15 in Division II.
 
As a team, the Golden Eagles average 70.6 points per game and shot an average of 39.5% from the floor. Beyond the arc, Cal State LA is shooting 38.8%. Defensively, opponents score an average of 72.2 points against the Golden Eagles and shoot around 39.6% overall.
 
GNAC STATS LEADERS (As of Dec. 12)
The Wildcats find themselves in the upper end of Great Northwest Athletic Conference in a handful of statistical categories. The rank sixth overall in scoring with an average of 69.1 points per game, while their scoring defense is second holding the opposition to 60.9 points per game.
 
CWU has the top free throw shooting percentage at 77.0% on 97-126 made shots. Central is also the field goal percentage team in the GNAC at 45.1%. On the flip side, CWU's defense is holding opponents to 36.6% shooting in games which is second best in the GNAC. CWU is third in three-point shooting at 33.7% and first in three-point shooting defense at 26.35.
 
The Wildcats also lead the GNAC in blocked shots with 39 and average 4.9 per game. The team averages 40.1 rebounds per game to sit second in the GNAC and their rebounding margin of +5.4 is third best in the conference.
 
Individually, two players rank in the top-10 in scoring in Alexis Pana and Kaelie Flores. Pana is the team leader at 15.6 points per game, which is fourth in the GNAC. Flores is second on the team at 14.0 points per game, which is eighth in the GNAC.
 
Samantha Bowman and Flores also rank in the top-10 in rebounding. Bowman is tied for fourth in the GNAC at 8.0 boards per contest, while Flores is sixth at 7.8 per game. Bowman is the GNAC leader in field goal percentage at 61.2% shooting per game. Flores is seventh in the GNAC at 51.9%.
 
Pana leads the way in assists per game in conference with 45 on the season and an average of 5.6 per game. She also has the top free throw percentage mark of 92% on 23-25 made shots. Bowman and Flores also rank in the top-five in free throw percentage. Bowman is third ta 84%, while Flores is fifth at 81%.
 
Pana is fifth in steals averaging 2.3 per game and has 18 this season. Flores is seventh in three-point field goal percentage at 44.8%. Three Wildcats are in the top-five in blocked shots in Flores, Pana and Bowman. Flores is third a 1.6 per game, Pana is fourth at 1.5 per game, and Bowman is fifth at 1.4 per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Central Washington University women's basketball team picked up another big home win Saturday night with a 68-52 thrashing of the Saint Martin's Saints.
 
Helping the Wildcats was the all-around phenomenal play of Kaelie Flores. She finished with a double-double scoring 21 points while pulling down 12 rebounds to go along with four blocked shots.
 
For the second straight game, the second half once again belonged to the Wildcats who exploded for 38 points and held the Saints to 24, including just nine third quarter points. The fourth quarter was a backbreaker as CWU shot 60% from the floor overall and went 5-9 from beyond the arc for 55.6%.
 
Defense also became the theme in the second half yet again for CWU. They held the Saints to just 29.7% shooting (19-64) for the night and it was the second game in a row CWU held an opponent to under 30% shooting for a game.
 
Taylor Shaw, Samantha Bowman and Alexis Pana also finished in double figures. Shaw scored 11 second-half points after having just two in the first to finish with 13. She shot 5-10 from the floor for 50% and was at that same mark from deep going 3-6.
 
Both Pana and Bowman finished 11 points for the game, respectively. Bowman was 5-10 from the floor and grabbed eight boards as well. Pana had just two points at half, but scored nine in the second half and finish with 11 on 5-15 shooting. She also had six rebounds and a game-high seven assists and six blocks.
 
CWU vs. CSULA HISTORY
The Wildcats and Golden Eagles have only met on the hardwood four times prior to this Saturday. CWU is undefeated against Cal State LA at 4-0 all-time. Before the 2018-19 season, the Wildcats and Golden Eagles had squared off once each of the previous three seasons from 2015-18.
 
CWU won each of those games by double figures and has won every game in the series by double digits. At home, CWU is 2-0 against Cal State LA. The two team first met in the 1997-98 season on Dec. 6 in a neutral site game. CWU walked away with a 92-52 win and the teams did not meet again until the 2015-16 season.
 
Since her arrival prior to the 2015-16 season, Randi Richardson-Thornley and the Wildcats are 3-0 all-time against Cal State LA. As the head coach, Richardson-Thornley is 1-0 against the Golden Eagles.