ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team used a strong second half to earn their GNAC-opening win. Shelby Blodgett was all-over the court today for CWU leading the Wildcats with 15 points. With tonight's victory, Head Coach Randi Richardson is now tied for the 10th-most GNAC victories in the history of women's basketball in the conference with 72 GNAC victories.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (74), Northwest Nazarene (60)
• Records: CWU (7-0, 1-0 GNAC), NNU (5-4, 0-1 GNAC)
• Location: Nicholson Arena, Ellensburg, Wash.

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"I was pleased with our team's composure to fight back, get the lead, and keep it after getting down early in the first quarter. NNU is a great team who plays extremely hard and can go on some explosive runs which can be hard to overcome. I was pleased with our team's response tonight to NNU's runs and their ability to "fix it" themselves on the floor which shows we are growing in the ways we want. Our scoring was balanced, and our bench was huge tonight. We had a lot of great takeaways as well which will help guide the direction of our growth heading into some huge regional contests before the holiday break." 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Jené Wells opened the scoring in the game with a jumper just 30 seconds into game, but a minute later Blodgett earned her first bucket of the night with a jumper of her own to tie things up at two apiece.
• Both teams battled it out bucket-for-bucket until a 7-0 run by NNU put them up 13-6 with 3:58 left in the quarter.
• A three by Annalee Coronado broke the NNU streak and helped the 'Cats claw back into the game as Blodgett earned the final points of the first with a layup to send the teams into the second quarter with NNU leading 18-14.
• Both teams exchanged a pair of buckets to start the second, but a jumper by Sunny Huerta sparked a 14-0 run by CWU to put the 'Cats up 30-22 with 3:15 left before halftime.
• NNU broke the streak with a layup by Danika Starr that was responded to by Blodgett drilling a three-pointer to force NNU to call a timeout with 2:36 left and CWU leading 33-24.
• Both teams traded a basket to head into halftime with the 'Cats leading 35-26.
• The Nighthawks managed to soar coming out of halftime, cutting their deficit to two thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by Madeline Gebers with 6:03 left in the third and the crimson and black clinging to a 39-37 lead.
• A three by Huerta with 4:18 left in the quarter put CWU up 46-38, but the Nighthawks wouldn't go quietly as they cut into the lead to make it 46-42 just over a minute later.
• Asher Cai and Coronado spent the rest of the quarter drilling free-throws as the Wildcats took the 55-49 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
• NNU earned the first bucket of the fourth to cut it to 55-51, but a 9-0 run by CWU that saw Jordy DeMott earn her first collegiate field goal put the 'Cats up 64-51 with 6:41 left.
• A three-pointer by Cai followed by buckets from Blodgett and Huerta saw the 'Cats take a 73-56 lead with 2:59 left in the game.
• A free-throw by Huerta served as the final score of the game, sealing the 74-60 victory for the 'Cats.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Blodgett earned a new CWU career-high leading CWU with 15 points, adding eight rebounds and four steals.
• Coronado earned 12 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out three assists, and having one block on the night as well.
• Huerta finished with 11 points, adding three rebounds, two steals, and leading CWU with five assists.
• Cai also tallied 11 points, finishing one rebound away from a double-double with nine, three assists, and two blocks.
• Both Capri Sims and Keira Marsh tacked on eight points with Sims leading CWU with 11 rebounds and five steals while adding three assists while Marsh added one rebound and one steal.
• Aliyah Finch added four points, three rebounds, and one assists while Malia Smith tacked on three points, two rebounds, and four assists.
• DeMott finished with two points and two rebounds while Rylee Leishman added one rebound.
• The Wildcats finished the day shooting 41 percent from the floor, 32 percent from three, and 80 percent at the free-throw line.
• CWU outrebounded NNU 47-38.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The Wildcats and Nighthawks have met 44 times with NNU leading the all-time series 30-14.
• The Wildcats have now won two in a row over NNU.
• CWU is now 8-14 against NNU in Nicholson Arena.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will wrap up the remainder of their nonconference schedule in southern California over the holiday break. They open their road trip with a battle at 12th-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills (9-0) on Wednesday, December 18 at 2:00 p.m. from inside the Torodome in Carson, Calif. They then take on Cal State Los Angeles (5-1) on Thursday, December 19 at 5:30 p.m. inside the University Gym in LA. The 'Cats wrap up their nonconference schedule with a rematch at Biola (1-7) down in La Mirada, Calif. inside Chase Gymnasium on Saturday, December 21 at 2:30 p.m.