ELLENSBURG, Wash. (FEB. 20) – The Central Washington University women's basketball team returns to Nicholson Pavilion this weekend. The Wildcats take on Rival Western Washington at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Saturday is senior night, as the careers of
Sadie Mensing and
Aliyah Pana will be celebrated prior to tip-off against Simon Fraser at 7:00 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Thursday, Feb. 21 | 7:00 p.m. PST
vs. Western Washington
Nicholson Pavilion | Ellensburg, Wash.
Watch |
Live Stats
Saturday, Feb 23 | 7:00 p.m. PST
vs. Simon Fraser
Nicholson Pavilion | Ellensburg, Wash.
Watch |
Live Stats
QUOTABLE
"This is a big week," CWU head coach
Randi Richardson-Thornley said. "We are still fighting to secure a spot in the GNAC tournament and are playing against two teams who are playing at a really high level at the moment. We need to continue on the path of improving our defense and rebounding while continuing to trust one another and play with confidence on the offensive end. Saturday will be bitter sweet as we say goodbye to both Sadie and Aliyah but our group knows the best way to celebrate them is to play really great basketball at home and secure our spot in post-season. We need to be excited to rise to the challenge."
SCOUTING WESTERN WASHINGTON
The Vikings own a 9-7 Great Northwest Athletic Conference record, and are a spot behind the Wildcats in the conference standings. The Vikings have won four of their last five games. Most recently, they knocked off Seattle Pacific 60-43. Kelsey Rogers and Dani Iwami average 12.8 and 12.1 points per game for the Vikings. Anna Schwecke is one of the league's best rebounder, landing one spot outside the top five with 7.5 rebounds per game.
The Wildcats and Vikings did battle in Bellingham, Washington on January 26. The Wildcats earned a 76-61 win on the road. The Wildcats held the Vikings to a 32.8 shooting percentage for the game. The Wildcats outscored the Vikings 24-14 in the third quarter.
Kassidy Malcolm put together an outstanding night for the Wildcats on Saturday. Malcolm poured in 18 points while nearly picking up a double-double with nine rebounds. Despite not scoring in the second half,
Alexis Pana had 14 points with four rebounds and four assists. Mensing was money for the Wildcats, adding 12 points, five rebounds and four assists.
SCOUTING SIMON FRASER
The Clan have clinched a spot in the GNAC conference tournament. They sit in third place with a 12-4 conference record. The Clan takes on No. 7 Northwest Nazarene on Thursday before facing the Wildcats. The last meeting between the Clan gave the Nighthawks their only loss the season. Sophie Swant averages 15 points per game, tied for third most in conference with CWU's
Alexis Pana. Swant is also in the top 10 in rebounding with 5.7 per game.
The Wildcats took on the Clan on January 24. The Wildcats dropped the game 79-69. The Wildcats struggled in the fourth quarter and couldn't get much to fall late in the game. The Clan went on a 11-4 run to start the last quarter of play and didn't look back.
Pana and
Kaelie Flores led the Wildcats with 18 points each. Pana went 8-for-12 from the field with three rebounds and two assists. Flores was six of nine from the free throw line and knocked down two shots from behind the three-point line. Mensing had another stellar night with 14 points with four offensive and four defensive rebounds she had tonight.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats split a pair of road conference games last weekend. A huge second hale propelled the Wildcats past Montana State University Billings 82-45 on Saturday before the team fell 65-56 to No. 7 Northwest Nazarene on Monday.
The Wildcats outscored the Yellowjackets 46-15 in the second half of Saturday's contest. The Wildcats received massive contributions from their bench, as it blitzed the Yellowjacket bench 36-11. The bench was led by
JonNae Richardson who scored a game-high 15 points and had 10 rebounds on the game. The Wildcats also shared the ball well, dishing out 21 assists to the Yellowjackets' 6. The Wildcat defense stifled the Yellowjackets, holding them to a 16-for-69 shooting percentage for the game. No Yellowjacket scored in double-figures.
On Monday, defense was the theme for both the Wildcats and Nighthawks. The Wildcats suppressed the potent Nighthawk offense, holding them to 21 points below their season average. The Wildcats turned the ball over 23 times during the game. The Nighthawks turned defense into offense through the game, scoring 22 points off turnovers.
Pana was fabulous for the Wildcats, tying
Malcolm with a game-high 14 points. Both finished the double-doubles, as Pana led everyone with 12 rebounds. Malcolm pulled in 10 rebounds, accruing her seventh double-double of the season. Shaw was the only other Wildcat in double-figures with 11 points. The Wildcats struggled from three-point range, going 4-for-20 for the game. Shaw made two of the team's four three-pointers.
