ELLENSBURG, Wash. — The Central Washington University men's basketball team opens Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a pair of road games at Seattle Pacific and Montana State Billings.
GAME INFORMATION
Thursday, December 2
At Seattle Pacific
5:15 p.m.
Brougham Pavilion
Seattle, WA
LIVE STATS | WATCH
Saturday, December 4
At Montana State Billings
5:15 p.m.
Alterowitz Gymnasium
Billings, MT
LIVE STATS | WATCH
QUOTABLE
"We are looking forward to kicking off GNAC play this weekend," CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said. "SPU is nationally ranked and picked to win the conference. Thursday will be another opportunity for us to test ourselves on the road versus one of the better teams in the West Region. "Traveling to Montana is a new twist to this weekend with the loss of Concordia in our conference. Billings is always a tough place to play. MSUB has a whole new team this year that we will have to prepare for."
SCOUTING SEATTLE PACIFIC
The Falcons are 4-3 entering the week. They have posted a 3-2 record at neutral sites and are 0-1 on the road. Seattle Pacific played its home opener on Saturday (Nov. 27), taking down Point Loma 99-91 in overtime.
Brock Mackenzie led the Falcons offensive output, tallying 27 points. Hugh Baxter (21) and Myles Franklin (19). The trio combined for over half of SPU's total offense, racking up 67 of their squad's 99 points. Mackenzie finished 11-for-21 from the field, while Baxter converted at clip of 8-for-14.
At halftime, the Falcons led 50-38, before Point Loma claimed the second half 47-35. Seattle Pacific outscored the Sea Lions 14-6.
Divant'e Moffitt leads the seasons scoring for the Falcons. The senior guard averages 18 points per game and is shooting 51.2 percent from the floor. He also leads SPU in assists with 32. Seattle Pacific is shooting 47.6 percent overall and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc. A sizable chunk of the Falcons' offense comes from deep, as 35 percent of their total shots have been three-point attempts.
Shaw Anderson (13.4), Harry Cavell (12.9), and Zack Paulsen (11.4) are all averaging double-digit scoring efforts. They're part of an offense averaging 76.57 points a night. From the floor, Paulsen is shooting 57.4 percent, including a 42.9 percent mark from deep. Cavell leads the Falcons with 6.1 rebounds per night. Paulsen hauls in 5.7 boards. Moffitt is third, pulling down 4.4 rebounds. The Falcons hold a slim rebounding margin of their opposition, 32.7-31.9.
BROUGHAM PAVILION (SEATTLE, WA) ENTRY POLICIES
Fans are welcome back to Brougham Pavilion. In compliance with King County guidelines, spectators 12-years-of-age and older attending SPU athletic events are required to provide proof of full vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 test. Before purchasing or picking up tickets at venue Will Call windows, attendees must show evidence of vaccination. Acceptable forms of proof include a CDC-issued Vaccination Record Card, a photo of the card, the Washington state myIRmobile.com app or a document from a health care provider. Those who cannot provide proof of vaccination may instead present documentation of a negative FDA-approved COVID-19 test administered by a professional and dated within 72 hours of the event. Mask wearing is mandatory at all times and spectators are encouraged to social distance when possible. Save the wait in line and obtain your SPU basketball tickets in advance by purchasing them online at -- www.spufalcons.com/tickets
SCOUTING MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
The Yellowjackets are 2-4 overall, including a 1-2 mark in the friendly confines of Alterowitz Gymnasium.
Their last outing was a 60-51 loss to South Dakota Mines. Damen Thacker led the 'Jackets with 19 points. Carrington Wiggins (13) and Bilal Shabazz (11) eclipsed the 10-point mark. Thacker shot 7-for-19 from the floor and 4-for-4 at the free throw line. He struggled from deep, however, knocking down just one of his eight chances.
On the season, Billings averages 64.83 points per game. Wiggins (16.0) and Thacker (12.5) are the only two 'Jackets averaging double digits. Wiggins is knocking down shots at a clip of 42.1 percent, while Thacker is shooting 34.2 percent. The Yellowjackets are shooting 39.4 percent as a unit and only 30.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Defensively, the 'Jackets are allowing an even 70 points per game. Their opposition are converting shots at 45.2 percent, including a 34.5 percent mark from deep. Billings' opponents have a small edge in rebounding 34.7-33.3. Malik Brikat leads the 'Jackets individual rebounding effort, taking in 4.8 boards. Emmanuel Ajanaku is close behind at 4.4 rebounds per game.
ALTEROWITZ GYMNASIUM FAN POLICY
Fans are allowed at MSUB home sporting events during the fall 2021 season. The university recommends that individuals wear masks at indoor events. All Yellowstone County local health guidelines and policies apply to MSUB home sporting events.
LAST TIME OUT
Central recorded a pair of strong wins last week over Westminster and Fort Lewis.
Marqus Gilson notched 28 points against Westminster, 19 coming in the second half as part of a comeback effort from the 'Cats. He aded a team-high 22 more against Fort Lewis. Gilson finished 9-for-13 from the floor against the SkyHawks. He also recorded a team-high six rebounds in each contest.
The Wildcats led for 82.1 percent of the game, allowing the Westminster Griffins just 5:16 of game time in the lead. Central won the rebounding battle, 38-34, including a 9-7 margin in offensive boards. The 'Cats reserves scored 26 points, outscoring the Griffins' bench by five. The Wildcats were near perfect at the free throw line, finishing 12-for-14. Central shot 57.1 percent in the second stanza, including a 4-for-8 mark beyond the arc.
Central held Westminster to a 2-for-12 mark from beyond the arc in the second half. The Griffins shot 40.3 percent for the contest, but just 18.2 percent from deep.
The Wildcats finished with a shooting percentage of 56.1 and shot better than 50 percent in both halves against Fort Lewis. They held the SkyHawks to a shooing percentage of 48.4, including a 7-for-23 mark from beyond the arc. Central scored 58 of their 89 points in the paint.
