ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's basketball team (5-3, 0-2 GNAC) fell to Saint Martin's University (4-4, 2-0), 79-76. 
 
"I thought we came out with good energy in the first half and grabbed the momentum," CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said.  "We were playing really well in the first half and had a chance to extend the lead.  We had a couple turnovers and breakdowns to give them the momentum back.  Ultimately that proved to be the difference in the game.  IN the second half we just ddin't defend like we needed too.   Offensively, I thought we fought to get great shots and shared the basketball.  When someone plays a zone that much, you're going to have to knock down some threes and we didn't."
 
Saint Martin's won the tip and Marky Adams put the Saints ahead, 2-0.  Matt Poquette erased the early lead with an alley-oop from Xavier Smith.
 
The Saints held a slim lead until Gamaun Boykin knocked down a trey with 15:13 on the clock.  Saint Martin's responded with a five-point run for a 14-10 lead.  They extended their lead to 17-12, before Jeryn Lucas and Kevin Baker made back-to-back threes to put Central Washington ahead 20-17.  Baker extended the Wildcats' lead to six, 23-17, with another trey.  The Crimson and Black put together a 15-0 run.  Baker found the basket again during the run, picking up two points on a goaltending call.  With 3:45 remaining in the stanza, the Wildcats led by 13, 37-29.
 
At the half, Central led 37-29.  The Wildcats had eight different scorers in the first half.  Marqus Gilson recorded five rebounds.  The Crimson and Black recorded 14 assists in the opening stanza.  Amari Stafford and Micah Pollard both ended the half with a plus-minus of +15, while Gilson was +12.  The Wildcats led for 12:30 in the first half. 
 
A minute and a half into the second half, the Saints cut the deficit to 37-33 with baskets from Marky Adams and Damonte Malloy.  A jumper from Malloy cut the deficit to two, 37-35, with 18:05 left in regulation.  Not quite a minute later, CJ Jennings hit a three to take a 38-37 lead.  Undeterred, Davon Bolton tied the contest at 40-40 with a trey. 
 
Momentum seesawed throughout the second half.  There had not been a foul committed in the second half until the clock read 13:27. 
 
Saint Martin's retook the lead with just under 10 minutes to play on a three from Malloy.  A jumper from Woody pushed the Wildcats' lead back to five, before a three from Logan Rooney kept the Saints within two. A free throw from Smith put CWU up by three, but a pair of free throws from Saint Martin's John Moore made it a one-point game.  Woody pushed the lead back to three with 5:45 to play with a bucket in the paint.  The Saints responded with another bucket from Moore, 67-66.  Moore then hit a free throw, levelling the game at 67-67.  A dunk from Gilson gave the Wildcats another lead, 69-67.
 
Jennings responded with a three for the Saints, giving SMU a 70-69.  With 3:47 left in regulation, a jumper from Gilson put the Wildcats back ahead 71-70.  A free throw from Baker gave the Wildcats a two-point lead, before a layup from Rooney tied it again.  The Saints and Wildcats traded points and baskets, swapping one-point leads. 
 
With just 20 seconds on the clock, Baker gave the Wildcats a 76-75 lead.  A jumper from Jennings put the Saints ahead for the final time, 77-76.  Jennings tacked on a pair of free throws to seal the contest.
 
Central Washington scored 48 points in the paint.  The Wildcats' reserves scored 40 points.  They recorded 13 second chance points, while SMU only managed four.  There were a mélange of lead changes, totaling 17 times throughout the game.  Baker led the Wildcats with 19 points, while Lucas finished with 13, and Woody notched 12.  Baker also recorded a team-high eight rebounds.
 
The Wildcats are back in action on Saturday (Dec. 14) as they play host to Multnomah.  Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.