ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington men's basketball returns home to host the CWU Tournament this week. The Wildcats play Cal State LA on Friday night and Westminster (UT) on Saturday. Both games tip off at 7 PM.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday 11/17:
Northwest Nazarene vs Westminster (UT) 5PM
Central Washington vs Cal State LA 7 PM
Saturday 11/18:
Northwest Nazarene vs Cal State LA 3 PM
Central Washington vs Westminster (UT) 7 PM

QUOTING HEAD COACH BRANDON RINTA
"This is going to be a high-level non-conference tournament in the PAV this weekend. We are excited to host Cal State LA and Westminster out of Salt Lake City. They are two well-coached teams."

CAL STATE LA
The Golden Eagles picked up wins against Biola and Concordia to start their season at 2-0. Cal State LA was picked to finish 8^th in the CCAA preseason poll.

Cal State LA has eight players returning from last year's squad, including two who earned All-CCAA honors. Shane Bell, who was third on the team in scoring last season with 13.0 points per game, earned second-team honors, while Dominic Escobar was fourth on the team in scoring with 12.7 points per game and earned All-CCAA honorable mention. Escobar had a team-high 12 points in the exhibition win over Cal Poly SLO.

Guard Jaden Lazo put up 10 points in the Golden Eagles exhibition game. Fellow guard Deuce Walker returns for Cal State LA and was one of four players who played in all 28 games last season.

WESTMINSTER UT
The Griffins are coming off a 13-6, 12-10 RMAC season and are 1-1 in their first two contests of 2023.

Westminster returns Donaval Avila who averaged 11.3 points per game last season. Avila was also second in rebounds on the team hauling in 152 in his 29 starts.

After two games, Westminster has three players averaging double digits: Chase Potter 13 ppg, Tyler Kurtz 11.5 ppg, and Rylan O'Brien 10.5 ppg. Trey Wood and Pierce Sterling are the facilitators so far, with four assists each.  

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
The Nighthawks finished their 2022-23 regular season at 15-15 and 9-9 but then kicked it into another gear for the GNAC tournament and knocked off Saint Martin's 65-57 to capture their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship.

The Nighthawks were picked 2^nd in the GNAC preseason poll and had two players, Gabriel Murphy, and Tru Allen, named to the All-GNAC Preseason Team. Northwest Nazarene's three leading scorers are all back. Allen averaged 12.1 ppg, Murphy contributed 11.6 ppg, and Bergersen put up 11.3 ppg.

Northwest Nazarene opened their season with an 83-68 victory last Saturday against Walla Walla.    

LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats split games in California at the CCAA/GNAC Challenge last week. They beat Cal State Monterey Bay 84-67 and then fell to 13^th-ranked Cal State San Bernardino 73-48.

Freshman guard Bradley Swillie led the 'Cats scoring 15 against Monterey Bay and 13 against San Bernardino. Seth Dawson scored 12 in the 'Cats opener and Samaad Hector added 11 points on 5-6 from the field and one three.

If the Crimson and Black can harness the team scoring, as they did against Cal State Monterey Bay when eight players scored at least seven points, they will have success this week.

UP NEXT
Central Washington hits the road next week for the Northwest Nazarene Thanksgiving Classic. The 'Cats face #11 Point Loma on Friday and Azusa Pacific on Saturday afternoon.