ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington Wildcats women's basketball team (4-0) will look to keep their perfect record in-tact this weekend when they travel to Denver to participate in the Regis Thanksgiving Classic. They first take on the 21^st-ranked Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (2-1) Friday at 2:30 p.m. before wrapping up the weekend against the hosting Regis Rangers (3-1) Saturday afternoon also at 2:30 p.m.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Friday, November 23^rd
2:30 p.m.
Central Washington vs. 21^st- Colorado School of Mines
Regis Field House
Denver, Colo.
 
Saturday, November 24^th
2:30 p.m.
Central Washington at Regis
Regis Field House
Denver, Colo.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
Central Washington is coming off a 2-0 weekend at the Westminster Tournament that was full of phenomenal individual performances. The 'Cats first put on an offensive display in a 95-76 throttling of the Metro State Roadrunners. CWU backed up the victory against MSU with a standout 4^th quarter against the Westminster Griffins in come-from-behind fashion 87-76.
 
Valerie "Sunshine" Huerta had herself quite the weekend. She started off the weekend dropping 37 points against Metro State like it was nothing. In that game she went 14 for 19 for field goals as well as six for seven on her three-point attempts as well as a perfect three for three from the free-throw line. She tallied on one rebound, three assists and one steal. Ashley Schow had herself an 11-point day while Samantha Bowman added another double-double to her career notching 10 rebounds and 10 points. Claire Heitschmidt had the best game of her season off the bench with 14 points. The 'Cats finished 55.6 percent from the floor and 48.5 percent from three-point land while also grabbing 40 rebounds.
 
Huerta tallied on another solid performance on Saturday against Westminster. She notched 18 points while snagging one rebound, four assists, and one steal, all while going six of six from the free-throw line. Bowman did her "thang" again, oh you know another double-double, this time putting up 36 points and 19 rebounds to go with team highs of six assists, five blocks, and five steals. Phenom freshman Asher Cai also added on 14 points drilling three three-pointers. Malia Smith came off the bench to contribute nine points. The 'Cats finished shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 29 percent from three-point land and grabbed 41 rebounds and 14 assists.
 
QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON-THORNLEY
 
"Excited to head to Colorado to play two well coached and experienced teams in Mines and Regis. Both teams will challenge us in ways we have not been yet. It will be a great opportunity for this young group to be exposed to more great Division Two Women's Basketball and to see where we are at and grow."
 
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS
 
Colorado School of Mines has had a solid start to their season going 2-1. They defeated two Lone Star Conference members easily on the road: St. Edward's 74-45 and St. Mary's (Texas) 86-45. However, in their home opener against MIAA member Nebraska-Kearney, the Lopers snuck past the at the time 20^th-ranked Orediggers 59-47. The 'Cats and Orediggers have met only once before back on November 17^th, 2017, when Mines hosted CWU and took the 61-56 victory over the crimson and black.
 
The Orediggers are coached by 11-year coaching veteran Brittany Simpson. They're averaging 69 points per game and outscoring their opponents by just under 20 points. The 'Diggers have a dual threat to score double digits as Ashley Steffeck and Josephine Howery are each averaging 12 and 11 points per game, respectively. Jessica Rios isn't far behind with 9.3 points per game, and leads Mines with 13 steals. Bowman and Sammy Van Sickle will go head-to-head for rebounds as Van Sickle is nabbing 8.3 rebounds per game, as well as leading Mines with 10 total assists and three blocks. Collectively Mines is shooting 40.9 percent from the floor and 25.7 percent from three-point land and shooting 68.2 percent from the charity stripe.
 
SCOUTING THE RANGERS


Regis is on a three-game winning streak after dropping their first matchup at St. Mary's (Texas) 77-74. They bounced back with a 64-60 victory over St. Edward's, followed by two at home victories in a 73-63 win over Texas-Permian Basin and 76-58 win over conference rival Colorado-Colorado Springs. The Rangers got blown out by Division One Wyoming (alma mater of head coach Randi Richardson-Thornley) in exhibition play on Tuesday. CWU played the Rangers once before all the way back on November 17^th, 2007 when the 'Cats defeated the Rangers 96-60 in Seattle.
 
The Rangers are led by eighth year head coach Molly Marrin. Regis is averaging 71.8 points per game and outscoring their opponents by almost eight points. The Rangers have three players averaging over 10 points per game, led by Sam Deem, averaging 14.3. Erin Fry and Josey Ryan each have a respective 13 and 11 points per game with Athena Saragoza not far back with 9.5 points per game. Bowman will again have a test of the rebounds as Deem is averaging 11 boards per game, and has a team high 11 blocks out of the 19 recorded for the Rangers. Fry has dished out 24 assists and Ryan has 10 steals to her name for each player to lead those categories for Regis. The Rangers are shooting 41.3 percent from the floor while going for 34.4 percent for three-pointers, and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
 
Following the weekend Central Washington will turn their attention towards the opening of GNAC play when they play host to the Western Oregon Wolves (4-0) and the Saint Martin's Saints (2-3). Both matchups are going to be held at Ellensburg High School with the Wolves coming to town on Thursday December 1^st with tip-off set for 6:15 p.m. The Saints will make the trek over on Saturday December 3^rd with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.