ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team (1-0) earned a season-opening 90-67 victory over the visiting Stanislaus State Warriors (0-1) in the CCAA-GNAC Crossover. Sunny Huerta lived up to her GNAC Preseason Player of the Year title dropping 27 points.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (90), Stanislaus State (67)
• Records: CWU (1-0), STAN ST (0-1)
• Location: Nicholson Arena, Ellensburg, Wash.

 
QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"I'm pleased with how our team came out today with how we executed early, as well as how we shared the ball and made the extra pass. However, we still need to put in work to become more consistent in putting that together for the full 40-minute stretch."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The Wildcats started the game strong as Huerta, Annalee Coronado, Aliyah Finch, and Shelby Blodgett all made buckets to put CWU up 9-0 with 5:29 left in the first quarter.
• Stanislaus State earned their only basket in the first quarter at the 5:11 mark, which the Wildcats responded by cruising to the 26-2 lead after the first 10 minutes thanks to back-to-back threes by Malia Smith followed by a three from Huerta.
• Smith opened the second drilling her third three, but the Warriors quickly found their groove scoring the next 10 points to cut the CWU deficit to 29-12 with 6:41 left in the second.
• A 17-0 run by the 'Cats saw the crimson and black take the 46-12 lead with 2:51 left in the second.
• A 9-2 run by the Warriors saw CWU take the 48-21 halftime lead.
• The Warriors came out of the break blazing, making the first 10 points of the third quarter to cut the Wildcat lead to 48-31 with 7:21 left in the quarter.
• Capri Sims broke the scoring drought for CWU as the 'Cats regained their momentum to take the 68-43 lead capped by a three from Huerta to head into the final 10 minutes.
• A rinse and repeat start to the quarter by Stanislaus State saw them score the first eight points to make it a 68-51 'Cat lead with 8:59 left in the game.
• A jumper and a three by Huerta helped put CWU on the board in the fourth quarter as both teams went basket-for-basket, with Smith capping the game with her sixth three of the night to make it a 90-67 Wildcat victory.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Huerta led the Wildcats with 27 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals while finishing 6/7 from three-point range.
• Smith finished with a new career-high of 18 points going 6/10 from three-point range and adding four assists.
• Asher Cai dropped 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and one steal while Sims added eight points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
• Coronado tacked on eight points, two rebounds, and five assists while Finch added six points, five rebounds, one assist, and two blocks off the bench.
• Blodgett finished with four points, four rebounds, and one assist while Keira Marsh had three points, one rebound, and one assist.
• Jordy DeMott earned her first collegiate career points tonight with a pair of free-throws and added five rebounds and one assist.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• This was the 10th meeting between the two squads with CWU now holding an 8-2 advantage.
• The Wildcats are on a seven-game winning streak over the Warriors.
• CWU is now 2-0 over Stan State inside Nicholson Arena.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they wrap up their time hosting the CCAA-GNAC Crossover.
• The Wildcats will take on Cal State East Bay (0-1) in the final game of the crossover with tip-off set for 3:30 p.m. from inside Nicholson Arena.