ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Wildcats (3-3) fell in their home opener to the Cal State Los Angeles Golden Eagles (2-1) by a 90-77 score Tuesday night. Asher Cai led all scores once again with 28 points on the night.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington 77, Cal State Los Angeles (90)
• Records: CWU (3-3), LA (2-1)
• Location: Nicholson Arena, Ellensburg, Wash.

 
QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON-THORNLEY:
 
"We came up against a very good CSULA team tonight. They exposed us in some big ways defensively. It's tough to score 77 and still lose. Credit to them. They are a great team who plays hard and for each other. This has to be a growing experience that provides us with the necessary sense of urgency to prepare ourselves to compete at that caliber on both sides of the ball."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The Golden Eagles started out with a quick 4-0 lead before Annalee Coronado put the crimson and black on the board with a layup.
• The Golden Eagles would shake off the bucket and before you know it were leading 9-2 forcing Richardson-Thornley to take a timeout.
• LA came out of the timeout and knocked down four more points to make it 13-4 before Sunny Huerta rattled off five-straight points, followed by a layup from Capri Sims and another jumper from Huerta to make it 13-11 in favor of LA.
• A jumper from Shelby Blodgett once again made it a two-point lead for LA, 15-13 with 2:51 left in the first quarter.
• A 11-3 run by LA to end the first quarter put them up by double-digits, 26-16.
• Both teams grappled back-and-forth to begin the second quarter, with the Golden Eagles answering everytime the Wildcats would score.
•  A free throw by Huerta, a layup by Keira Marsh, and a three-pointer by Cai to end the first half cut the Golden Eagles lead back to 10 to enter halftime, 48-38.
• A 13-5 run by LA to open the second half put them up 61-43 before back-to-back three-pointers by Malia Smith and Cai cut it to 61-49 with just under five minutes to go in the third quarter.
• The Golden Eagles turned the tides again with a 10-0 run that put them up 71-49 with 2:27 left in the third quarter.
• Smith would keep the 'Cats in it with back-to-back threes that was helped by a three and a jumper from Cai to end the third quarter with LA leading 73-60.
• Two jumpers from Cai and yet another three from Smith helped the 'Cats keep pace with the Golden Eagles to open the fourth.
• An 8-1 run by LA put them up 90-71 with 2:40 left in the game.
• The Wildcats would end the game on a 6-0 run thanks to two free throws from Smith and a jumper and two free throws from Cai, but the Golden Eagles prevailed 90-77.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai led all scores with 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds to go with her two assists.
• Smith netted a career-high 17 points and paired it with three assists and done steal.
• Huerta dropped 17 points of her own and had two rebounds, four assists, and two steals to add to it.
• Sims tacked on eight points with 12 rebounds, one assist, and one steal to add.
• Coronado added three points, three assists, and two steals.
• Marsh and Blodgett each added two points with Marsh adding two rebounds, three assists, one block, and a 'Cat-leading three steals.
• The crimson and black shot 37 percent from the floor, 35.3 percent from three-point range, and 68.8 percent from the free throw line.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• This was the first victory by the Golden Eagles in six matchups as the crimson and black won the first five.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The 'Cats are back in action on Saturday from inside Nicholson Arena when they take on the Westmont Warriors (2-1) at 5:00 p.m.
• The Warriors will also take on fellow GNAC member the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks from inside Nicholson Arena on Friday at 3:00 p.m.