ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington University women's basketball gets the roaring 20's started this Thursday, Jan. 2 with one game on the road. The Wildcats start the new decade at Montana State University Billings.
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs. MSU Billings
Thursday, Jan. 2
6:00 p.m. PT
Alterowitz Gymnasium
Billings, Mont.
 
QUOTABLE
"We have to respond this week and bounce back," CWU Head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said. "MSU Billings has both good guard and post play. We have to commit to defending and limiting some key players in both positions."
 
SCOUTING MSU BILLINGS | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2019-20 STATS
The Yellowjackets enter the New Year with an overall record of 6-5 and are 1-1 against Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents. The 'Jackets are currently on a two-game winning streak and at home this season are a perfect 5-0.
 
Hannah Collins leads MSU Billings in scoring with an average of 14.0 points per game in 11 starts this season. She shots 42.1% from the floor overall and is a 44% shooter from three-point range. She is tied for sixth in scoring in the conference in points per game.
 
Taryn Shelley is the second leader scorer for the Yellowjackets averaging 11.7 points per game. She's appeared in all 11 games while making 10 starts. She leads the team in rebounding with 7.8 boards per game and shoots 44.1% from the floor.
 
Shayla Montague is second in rebounds per game at 4.5 and puts up 5.8 points per game. Collins and Jeanann Lemelin are tied for the team lead in assists per game at 2.5, while Emily St. John is third at 2.4 per game.
 
Shelley also leads the way in blocks per game at 1.5. She has 17 in 11 games played this season. Lemelin is the leader in steals per game with 1.5.
 
As a team, MSU Billings averages 63.8 points per game on 37.9% shooting from the field. The give up 64.2 points per game to opposition on 37.3% shooting. The 'Jackets field goal percentage defense is tied for second in the GNAC with Central Washington.
 
GNAC STATS LEADERS (As of Dec. 31)
The Wildcats enter this week's contest still ranked in the top-10 in number of statistical categories. Scoring wise, they are third in points per game at 71.6, while their scoring defense is fourth at 62.5 points per game.
 
CWU still leads the GNAC in free throw percentage at 78.8%. They also own the top spot in field goal percentage with 45%. CWU is also tied for second in field goal percentage defense with MSU Billings at 37.3%.
 
The Crimson and Black are second in three-point shooting percentage at 35.7, while their defense holds opponents 27.2% shooting from deep to sit second in the conference. CWU also has the top average in rebounds per game at 41.2.
 
Helping the Wildcats rebound game also comes with the help of being the top shot blocking team in the GNAC. In 11 games, CWU already has 63 blocks and averages 5.7 per game. CWU is seventh in assists per game averaging 13.9.
 
Three players are in the top-10 in scoring for CWU in Kaelie Flores, Samantha Bowman, and Alexis Pana. Flores leads the way and is fifth in the GNAC at 14.3 points per game. Bowman is ninth in the GNAC at 13.9 points per game, while Pana is 10th at 13.7.
 
Bowman and Flores also rank third and fifth in rebounding respectively. Bowman, the team leader, is pulling down 8.4 boards per game. Flores is not far behind with an average of 7.9 rebounds per game.
 
Bowman continues to hold the No.1 spot in the GNAC in field goal percentage. The sophomore shooting 60.6% from the floor on average in 11 games played. Pana also has a No. 1 spot as she leads the conference in assists averaging 5.5 per game.
 
Bowman, Pana, and Flores also rank second to fourth, respectively, in free throw percentage. Bowman is second at 89.5%, Pana is third at 87.9%, and Flores is fourth at 84.8%. Pana is also sixth in steals at an even 2.0 per game.
 
Flores is the sixth best three-point shooter in the GNAC with an average of 46.3% from deep. Taylor Shaw is just outside the top-10 at 11th with 41.7 shooting percentage from three-point range. Shaw averages 2.3 made triples per game, which is fourth best in the GNAC.
 
Flores leads the conference in blocked shots per game with an average of 2.1. She also has the most total blocks with 23 in 11 games. Bowman and Pana both are tied for third averaging 1.5 blocks per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Central Washington University women's basketball had its four-game win streak ended Saturday night in a 85-76 loss to Northwest Nazarene. The loss puts CWU at 7-4 overall and 2-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
Helping the Nighthawks secure the win was a fast start in the opening quarter and a defense that forced 19 CWU turnovers on the night. NNU converted those turnovers to 24 points and added 19 on fast break opportunities.
 
The Wildcats managed to win the points in the paint battle, 28-26, but NNU led the way in nearly every facet of the game. They had a 16-9 edge in second chance points and their bench out produced CWU's reserves 33-16. The combination helped the Nighthawks lead wire-to-wire.
 
Leading the way for the Wildcats was Kaelie Flores with a game-high 24 points on 9-16 shooting. She also grabbed nine rebounds and had four blocks. Kassidy Malcolm scored 13 points in her first game of the year. She shot 5-9 and had nine boards. Samantha Bowman and Brianna Phiakhamngon each chipped in 10 points, respectively.
 
CWU vs. MSUB HISTORY
The Wildcats are 13-26 all-time against the Yellowjackets in 39 total meetings since first meeting in the 1996-97 season. Since 2000-01, CWU is just 13-20 against MSU Billings.
 
The Wildcats won both games in two meetings last season against the 'Jackets both by double figures. In three seasons of leading CWU, Head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley is 2-3 against MSU Billings.