ELLENSBURG, Wash. – After two great wins at home, Central Washington travels to Nampa, Idaho for the NNU Thanksgiving Classic this weekend hosted by Northwest Nazarene.

GAME INFORMATION
Friday, November 24^th
4:00 PM
Central Washington vs RV Point Loma
Johnson Sports Center
 
Saturday, November 25^th
2:00 PM
Central Washington vs Azusa Pacific
Johnson Sports Center
 
QUOTING HEAD COACH BRANDON RINTA
"This has shaped up to be a high-level Thanksgiving tourney at NNU. Both the teams we will play are perennial National Tournament teams. Point Loma went undefeated in conference last year and is ranked #11 in the country. Azusa Pacific is the biggest team in the region and returns more players from last year than any National Tournament team from the West Region. It will be a great test for this team coming off this past weekend." 

SCOUTING THE SEA LIONS
Point Loma is 2-2 overall. The Sea Lions won their season opener 82-79 in overtime against Stanislaus State, then dropped two contests before emerging victorious last weekend against Cal State San Marcos 75-62. 

Point Loma is averaging 68 points per game and is shooting 38% from the field. Sophomore guard Jake Lifgren leads the Sea Lions. He is averaging 20.5 points per game, is shooting over 45% from the field, and has made 16 from beyond the arc. Zack and Tyce Paulsen are averaging 11.3 and 10 points per game, respectively.

The Sea Lions have hauled in 168 rebounds and have four players with 20 rebounds or more. Coby Barnes leads the team in rebounds with 37 and Luke Smith isn't far behind corralling 30 boards. Zack Paulsen and Barnes have accounted for 10 assists a piece and are the floor generals for Point Loma.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Azusa Pacific is 1-3 going into the NNU Thanksgiving Classic. The Cougars picked up their lone win two weeks ago, beating Cal Poly Pomona 67-57. The Cougars play Northwest Nazarene Friday night to open the tournament before facing Central Washington on Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars are averaging 77.3 points per game and shooting 43% from the floor. Bryce Sloan, who is scoring 19.8 ppg and is shooting over 50% from the field, leads Azusa Pacific's offense. Three other Cougars are averaging double digits: Ken West (13.5), Ethan Speaker (12), and George Reidy (11.3).

Speaker and West are leading the team on the glass. Speaker is averaging 7.8 rebounds while West is hauling in 5.8 per contest.

LAST TIME OUT
Central Washington is 3-1 overall and picked up two great home wins last week. The Wildcats beat Cal State Los Angeles 82-69 on Friday and then picked up the 84-65 victory over Westminster UT to wrap up the CWU Tournament.

Samaad Hector led the team, scoring 19 points and grabbing eight rebounds against Cal State LA. Hector backed that up with a double-double on Saturday against Westminster. He scored 18 points, hauled in 13 rebounds, shot 7-11 from the field, and made three from beyond the arc.

Maverick Sanders had a great game on Saturday, posting 19 points on 8-13 from the floor and nailed three from beyond the arc.

The Wildcats were hot from three-point range, sinking 11 against Cal State LA and 12 the next night against Westminster. The crimson and black shared the ball well this weekend and had 38 assists.

UP NEXT
Central Washington remains on the road next week to open GNAC play traveling to Western Oregon and then to Saint Martin's.