ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Central Washington University women's basketball team earned a huge victory on the road earning back-to-back victories over Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage for the first time since the Wildcats won three-straight from 2001 to 2003. Asher Cai led the way for the Wildcats with 23 points. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (72), Alaska Anchorage (65)
• Records: CWU (17-10, 8-7 GNAC), UAA (15-8, 9-5 GNAC)
• Location: Alaska Airlines Center, Anchorage, Alaska

 
QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON-THORNLEY:
 
"I'm extremely proud and happy for this group to get a tough road sweep. We played with a lot of composure tonight and executed well on both sides of the ball consistently. UAA made a big run in the fourth quarter, and I am very pleased with our composure to not go inward and away from what we do, trusting one another. We had to make some tough buckets and came up with some big defensive stops down the stretch where players just stepped up, found a way, and got the job done. Every single player contributed to this win. I'm happy for our group."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The game started out with both teams applying their best defensive juggernauts as the first bucket came on a free throw for the Seawolves at the 7:16 mark which thanks to a pair of offensive rebounds led to a layup making it 3-0 UAA with 7:06 left in the first quarter. 
• The Wildcats would score on their next possession as Sunny Huerta would nail a signature Sunny pull up jumper while drawing the foul to convert the and-one tying the game at three points apiece with 6:50 left in the first quarter. 
• A pair of free-throws by the Seawolves gave the lead back to UAA 9-8 before Annalee Coronado drilled a three-pointer that would wind up being the last time the Wildcats would have to take the lead back from UAA, 11-9 CWU with 3:07 left in the first quarter.  
• A layup by Keira Marsh and a jumper by Huerta at the buzzer would put the 'Cats up 18-11 to end the first quarter. 
• The Seawolves would steal the first three points of the second quarter but was immediately responded to by Cai drilling a three to make it 21-14 CWU with 8:53 left in the quarter.
• A layup by Huerta at the 7:08 mark put the 'Cats up by double-figures for the first time in the game, 25-15. 
• Both teams would continue to go shot-for-shot for the rest of the quarter with the Seawolves converting a layup with two seconds left to enter halftime with Central leading 35-26. 
• The Wildcats came out of halftime firing on all cylinders thanks to a jumper from Capri Sims and back-to-back threes from Malia Smith and Huerta to make it 43-26 Wildcats with 8:19 left in the third quarter.
• UAA used a six-point run to make it 43-32 with 6:23 left in the third quarter but back-to-back buckets by Sims and Huerta helped balloon the Central lead back to 15, 47-32.
• The Seawolves mustered the Wildcat lead back down to 11, but an 8-2 run by CWU put the 'Cats up 56-39 with 1:04 left in the quarter. 
• A pair of free-throws by UAA would end the third quarter with Central leading 58-43. 
• The Seawolves nabbed the first four points of the fourth quarter before another three by Coronado made it 61-47 Wildcats with 8:28 left in the game. 
• Anchorage wouldn't go down with a fight finding their stride from three enroute an 11-2 run by UAA to cut the Wildcat lead down to five, 63-58 with 5:43 left in the game. 
• Major defensive stops by the Wildcats following the media timeout helped keep the Seawolves abet as the Wildcats would hit their free-throws down the stretch and earn the hard fought 72-65 victory on the road. 

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai led all scores in the game with 23 points adding four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. 
• Huerta tallied 19 points, five rebounds, and a game-high six assists. 
• Sims finished with her eighth of the season and second-straight double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds while adding two assists and one block. 
• Coronado had six points while adding four rebounds, five assists, and one steal. 
• Marsh added four points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal. 
• Shelby Blodgett and Smith each finished with three points while Blodgett added two rebounds and one assist and Smith finished with one rebound. 
• Olivia Huntsinger added two rebounds and one assist. 
• The Wildcats finished the night shooting 53.2 percent from the floor, 42.1 percent from three-point land, and 73.7 percent at the free-throw line. 
• Central held the Seawolves to shooting 39.1 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent on three-point attempts, and 73.3 percent at the free-throw line. 
• The Wildcats had another huge day in the rebounding battle dominating 40-26. 

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• This was the 56th meeting between the two squads with UAA holding the 38-18 advantage. 
• The Wildcats and the Seawolves split the regular season series this year. 
• Central is 8-19 in Anchorage. 

 
UP NEXT:
 

• Central will be back in action for another battle with Northwest Nazarene coming to Ellensburg next week.
• The Wildcats and Nighthawks clash on Saturday, February 24 at 1:15 p.m. from inside Nicholson Arena.