ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University women's basketball team (14-7, 5-4 GNAC) will head on the road for a big weekend stopping first at Seattle Pacific (6-13, 3-6 GNAC) on Thursday before trekking over to Montana State Billings (17-4, 8-1 GNAC) for a showdown on Saturday.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Thursday, February 1
5:15 p.m.
Central Washington at Seattle Pacific
Royal Brougham Pavilion
Seattle, Wash.
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Saturday, February 3
4:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Central Washington at #17 Montana State Billings
Alterowitz Gymnasium
Billings, Mont.
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QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON-THORNLEY
 
"This is another challenging week on the road against two disciplined and gritty teams. A positive response from last week is critical, and it starts with our prep which should reflect a sense of urgency and the utmost respect for both of our opponents."
 
LAST WEEK
 
The Wildcats had a tough outing last week at Northwest Nazarene as the Wildcats fell 74-68. Asher Cai drilled a career-high 30 points while adding nine rebounds. Sunny Huerta added 17 points and a team-high four assists while Capri Sims added her sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds while also grabbing both Wildcat blocks in the game.
 
LAST MEETINGS
 
The Wildcats earned a split at home earlier this season falling first to the then also 17th-ranked Yellow Jackets 82-73 before bouncing back for the 71-61 victory over the Falcons.
 
Against MSUB Huerta popped off for 29 points while Cai added 22 points and a game-high eight rebounds to lead CWU. Annalee Coronado added nine points while Sims added eight. Cai led the charge in the victory over SPU with 21 points while adding eight rebounds. Huerta tallied 19 points and a game-high six assists while Sims notched another double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Malia Smith and Riley Johnson added nine and six points, respectively while Coronado added two points and Shelby Blodgett added one point.
 
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
 
SPU is currently 6-13 overall and 3-6 in GNAC play. The Falcons entered the holiday break 4-7 with a perfect 2-0 record with two big victories over Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage. SPU has since gone 2-6 posting a nonconference victory over Westminster but fell to NNU and CWU before picking up a five-point victory over Western Oregon. SPU is currently on a four-game skid dropping contests to Saint Martin's and MSUB and last weekend falling at Western Washington 73-61 and Simon Fraser 83-57.
 
Olivia Mayer is the lone Falcon in double-figures at 13.9 points per game and is currently leading SPU in rebounds a well at 7.5 per game. Schuyler Berry is second on SPU in both points per game (9.2) and rebounds per game (5.2) and is tied with Mayer for the most blocks with each recording 14 on the season. Hunter Beirne has dished out the most assists for the Falcons with 42 on the season while Mayer has snatched the most steals with 29.
 
The Falcons are averaging 55.5 points per game and are giving up 61.8 points per game to their opponents. On the season, the Falcons are shooting 36.4 percent on their field goal attempts, 24.1 percent on three-point attempts, and 66.1 percent at the free-throw line. SPU is slightly winning the rebounding game, averaging 35.8 rebounds per game compared to their opponent's 34.5 rebounds per game.
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
 
MSUB currently owns a 17-4 record including going 8-1 in GNAC play. The Yellow Jackets suffered their first three losses in nonconference action: 73-72 against Texas Woman's to open the season, 75-71 at Colorado School of Mines in the Mines Thanksgiving Invitational, and 59-58 against West Texas A&M in the Daytona Beach Shootout. MSUB rode a six-game winning streak into last weekend increasing it to seven with the 74-60 victory at Simon Fraser last Thursday. Western Washington would break the win-streak with a 76-68 victory over in Bellingham last Saturday.
 
The Yellow Jackets have been led by Montana State University transfer Kola Bad Bear who's their leader in points per game (16.3), rebounds per game (6.5), and blocks (15). Dyauni Boyce is currently second behind Bad Bear in both categories with 14.9 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game. Kortney Nelson has dished out the most assists for MSUB with 66 on the season while Chloe Williams is the leader in steals at 31 on the season.
 
The Yellow Jackets are averaging 73.2 points per game and only allowing 57.9 points per game to their opponents. The Yellow Jackets are shooting 43.4 percent from the floor, 36.2 percent on three-point attempts, and 79.5 percent at the free-throw line. MSUB is outrebounding their opponents 36.9 rebounds per game compared to the 30.3 their opponents are snatching.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Wildcats will be back home for a pair of big matchups. Coming first to Ellensburg is the Simon Fraser Red Leafs (11-11, 3-6 GNAC) for a Thursday, February 8 showdown at 5:15 p.m. CWU will then take on 13^th-ranked arch-rival Western Washington (16-3, 8-1 GNAC) on Saturday, February 10 at 4:00 p.m.