ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington University women's basketball will play its final home game of the 2019-20 season tomorrow (Saturday). The Wildcats will host the Concordia (Ore.) Cavaliers for the final time as well. It will also be Senior Day and CWU will recognize five outstanding seniors prior to tip-off.
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs. Concordia (Ore.)
Saturday, Feb. 22
5:00 p.m. PT
Nicholson Pavilion
Ellensburg, Wash.
 
QUOTABLE
"This is a big game as we continue on our hunt to clinch a spot in the postseason. It's also a big day as we look to celebrate our seniors final home game," CWU head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said. Concordia is a very talented team who has scorers that can put up a lot of points. Our team has to be committed to being disciplined on the defensive end."
 
2019-20 WILDCAT SENIORS
The Wildcats will honor five outstanding seniors ahead of their final home game of the 2019-20 season.
 
The five seniors that will be honored prior to tip-off inside Nicholson Pavilion are MJ Lancaster, JonNae Richardson, Taylor Shaw, Alexis Pana and Kaelie Flores.
 
SCOUTING CONCORDIA | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | 2019-20 STATS
The Cavaliers are 5-20 overall and just 4-13 in conference play in their final season of competition. Concordia University of Portland is set to cease operations at the end of the spring semester. Full details on their closure can be read here.
 
The Cavaliers are last in the GNAC in scoring offense averaging just 56.6 points per game on 36.2% shooting overall. They shoot just 27.9% from deep and are last in free throw percentage at 65%.
 
Defensively, CU is eighth in the GNAC in points allowed, giving up 68.2 points per game on 41.9% shooting by the opposition. Opponents also shot 35.9% from deep against the Cavaliers which is the highest percentage allowed in the conference.
 
Olivia Vezaldenos and Dorcas Wu are the top scorers and the only players averaging double figure points. Vezaldenos ranks 25th in the GNAC averaging 10.2 points per game. Wu is right behind at 26ht scoring 10.1 points per game.
 
Riley Friauf is the top rebounder for the Cavaliers and ranks 13th in the GNAC at 5.8 boards per contest. Wu is two spots back in 15th averaging 5.0 rebounds per game. Wu is the top percentage shooter at 43.8%, followed by Friauf at 43.6%.
 
Wu also leads the way in steals for CU averaging 1.9 per game. Her average is sixth highest in the GNAC entering the weekend. Nakiyah LeSure is the top shot blocker with 24 and averages 1.0 per game. Her average is fifth-best in the GNAC.
 
GNAC STATS LEADERS (As of Feb. 21)
The Wildcats remain fifth in scoring offense averaging 69.4 points per game. They are second in both field goal percentage at 44.8% and three-point field goal percentage at 35.2%, respectively.
 
On defense, CWU sits third allowing just 63.2 points per game. Opponents shoot just 39% overall and 28.4% from deep against the Wildcats. The 28.4% allowed is the lowest in the GNAC.
 
Central still holds down the No.1 spot in free throw percentage at 75.9%. They are second in blocked shots averaging 4.6 per game and second in rebounds at 38.8 per game. CWU is also second in three-pointers made at 8.0 per game.
 
Alexis Pana continues to lead the Wildcats in scoring averaging 14.2 points per game which is sixth best in the conference. She is one of four Wildcats averaging double figure points as the regular season draws to a close.
 
Kaelie Flores is 15th in scoring at 11.8 points per game. Samantha Bowman is right behind her also at 11.8 points per game and ranks 16th. Taylor Shaw is the fourth double-digit scorer at 10.8 points per game to sit 21st in the GNAC.
 
Bowman and Flores are the 1-2 punch in rebounds. Bowman leads the duo averaging 6.6 per game and ranks sixth. Flores is right behind her in seventh averaging 65. Per contest. Pana is in the top-20 at 16th with an average of 4.8 per game. JonNae Richardson is climbing the ranks and ranks 26th averaging 4.0 per game.
 
Bowman is still the top overall percentage shooter in the GNAC. She is shooting an average of 60.9% every time she steps on the hardwood. Flores ranks 11th at 48%. Shaw is 16th at 45.3%, while Pana is 25th at 41.7%.
 
Pana continues to be the GNAC leader in assists. She averages 5.0 per game and is ranked ninth in steals averaging 1.7 per game. Her assist-turnover ratio of 1.6 is seventh-best in the conference.
 
Flores is third in free throw percentage entering the weekend. She is shooting 85.7% from the charity stripe to lead CWU. Pana is sixth at 82%, followed by Bowman in eighth at 80.3%.
 
Shaw remains in the No. 1 shot in three-point percentage shooting in the GNAC. She is hooting 44.9% from three-point range and her average of 2.1 triples made per game ranks third. Pana is fifth in triples made at 2.0 per game.
 
Flores and Bowman are the top rim protectors for the Wildcats. Flores is second in the GNAC averaging 1.6 swats per game, with Bowman behind her in third at 1.4. Pana is tied for eighth at 1.0 per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Central Washington University women's basketball picked up another blowout win at home Thursday night with a 70-46 win over Western Oregon inside Nicholson Pavilion. The win improves the Wildcats record to 15-10 overall and 10-7 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
It was a career night for senior guard Alexis Pana as she eclipsed 1,000 career points in the first half. She finished with 10 for the night as she reached the milestone. She was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures in the 24-point victory.
 
Pana's 10 points came on 4-10 shooting and she also had a game-high seven assists. Taylor Shaw was the team leader with 12 points on 3-5 shooting and 2-3 from deep. Brianna Phiakhamngon and Kassidy Malcolm each scored 11 points, respectively. Richardson led the way in rebounding with a game-high seven.
 
CWU vs. CU HISTORY
The Wildcats and Cavaliers have a short history having only met 15 times. Central is 10-5 all-time against Concordia going into the final meeting ever between the two squads.
 
The Wildcats defeated the Cavaliers 75-54 earlier this season on the road back on Jan. 23. In three seasons as head coach, Randi Richardson-Thornley is 4-2 all-time against Concordia.