LOS ANGELES – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team fell in a nailbiter at Cal State Los Angeles Thursday evening. Huerta set a new season-high with 28 points in the setback.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: #24 Central Washington (68), RV Cal State Los Angeles (71)
• Records: CWU (7-2, 1-0 GNAC), LA (7-1, 2-1 CCAA)
• Location: University Gym, Los Angeles

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Huerta drilled the first points of the game with one of her classic jumpers to make it 2-0 CWU.
• LA went 1/2 at the free-throw line sparking a 5-0 run by the Golden Eagles to make it 5-2 LA with six minutes left.
• Huerta had another jumper, but a quick five points by the Golden Eagles forced Coach Richardson to call a timeout with CWU down 10-4 with 4:03 left in the first.
• Huerta earned the next five points for the Wildcats, but LA scored the final three points to take the 15-9 lead after the first 10 minutes.
• Both teams battled bucket-for-bucket to open the second as LA maintained a 24-13 lead with 7:42 left.
• An 11-3 run by the 'Cats brought them back in the game, trailing by only three, 27-24 with 4:52 left.
• Both teams continued to exchange buckets, but a three-pointer by Malia Smith, a jumper by Capri Sims and a pair of free-throws by Huerta and Asher Cai gave CWU the 37-36 lead heading into halftime.
• The teams continued to battle coming out of halftime exchanging baskets as neither team could get too far ahead without the other one getting right back into it.
• An 8-2 run by LA to end the third gave the Golden Eagles the 57-55 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes.
• The Golden Eagles kept it going to start the fourth with a quick five points that was answered back by free-throws from Huerta, Cai, and Sims to make it a 62-61 LA lead with 6:37 left.
• A free-throw by Annalee Coronado tied things up at 64 with 3:48 left sparking more back-and-forth buckets between the teams.
• Free-throws decided the rest of the game as three free-throws down the stretch for the Golden Eagles proved to be the difference as they went on to win 71-68.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Huerta led all scores in the game with 28 points, adding four rebounds, two assists, and three steals.
• Cai added 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
• Smith led the bench unit with nine points and two assists while Sims tacked on eight points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
• Coronado finished with five points, two rebounds, one assist, and two steals while Shelby Blodgett added two points and seven rebounds and Riley Johnson also finished with two points.
• Keira Marsh added two rebounds and two assists while Jordy DeMott had two rebounds.
• The Wildcats finished the day shooting 41.8 percent on their field goal attempts, 22.7 percent from three, and 63 percent at the free-throw line.
• CWU slightly outrebounded LA 32-31.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• CWU now owns the all-time series 5-2.
• LA has won the last two matchups.
• The Wildcats are 2-1 in LA.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats wrap up their nonconference schedule with a rematch against Biola (1-10, 1-3 PacWest) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. from inside Chase Gymnasium in La Mirada, Calif.