ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University women's basketball team (17-10, 8-7 GNAC) will only have one game this weekend as they get ready to clash with the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks (9-13, 6-9 GNAC) on Saturday.
The Wildcats will be partnering with the Wildcat Pantry this Saturday to fill the pantry! If you bring one nonperishable food item to Saturday's game, you will get one free general admission ticket to the game!
GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, February 24
1:15 p.m.
Central Washington vs. Northwest Nazarene
Nicholson Arena
Ellensburg, Wash.
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LAST WEEK
The Wildcats earned the GNAC Team of the Week after becoming the first GNAC team this season to sweep the Alaska road trip defeating Fairbanks on Thursday 78-61 before taking down Anchorage on Saturday 72-65. GNAC Player of the Week
Capri Sims notched double-doubles in both contests. They outrebounded two of the best rebounding teams in the GNAC 83-56.
On Thursday, the Wildcats used 20-plus points in each of the first three quarters to break away from the Nanooks to cruise to the 78-61 victory.
Sunny Huerta led the Wildcats with 22 points while adding seven assists. Sims notched a career-high 20 points while grabbing 13 rebounds.
Asher Cai also posted a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds while also making three steals.
Malia Smith added nine points while
Shelby Blodgett,
Olivia Huntsinger, and
Keira Marsh all added three points with
Annalee Coronado tying Huerta with seven assists. The Wildcats outrebounded Alaska Fairbanks 43-30.
On Saturday, the Wildcats defense stepped up and held the Seawolves under 20 points through the first three quarters and kept them at bay during their late game run to come away with the 72-65 victory. Central was led by Cai who finished with 23 points while Huerta added 19 points and six assists. Sims finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and one block. Coronado added six points while Marsh added four, respectively. Blodgett and Smith each added three points. The Wildcats came out victorious in the rebounding battle 40-26.
LAST MEETING
The Wildcats traveled down to Nampa, Idaho back on January 27 and suffered a 74-68 setback at the hands of the Nighthawks. Despite Cai scoring a career-high 30 points, the Wildcats couldn't get over their slow start. Cai added nine rebounds, two assists, and one steal in the setback. Huerta added 17 points, four rebounds, and one steal. Sims balled out in her home state dropping 11 points, 13 rebound, two assists, two blocks, and one steal. The Wildcats saw three points each from
Riley Johnson and Marsh while Coronado and Blodgett each added two points.
SCOUTING THE NIGHTHAWKS
NNU is 9-13 overall with a 6-9 record in GNAC play. Since the Wildcats and Nighthawks met earlier this season, NNU has gone 1-5 with their sole victory coming at Fairbanks last Saturday. They fell 70-59 at Anchorage on Thursday before churning out a 74-69 victory at Fairbanks on Saturday.
NNU has two players scoring in double-digits, Madeline Gebers with 13.4 points per game and Kendall Clark with 12.5 points per game. Gebers has been prolific from three-point range this season ranking fourth in NCAA Division II in three-point percentage at 45.2 percent. Kendall Clark is 37
th in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage at 52.6 percent. Clark and her sister Emma are tied for the most rebounds for NNU with both averaging 5.1 per game. Hilary James has contributed the most assists on the season with 56 while Emma Clark has the most steals with 32 and Gebers has the most blocks with 24.
The Nighthawks are averaging 66.9 points per game and giving up 71.1 points per game to their opponents. Collectively, the Nighthawks are shooting 40.9 percent from the floor, 32.3 percent from three-point land, and 69.4 percent at the free-throw line. On average, NNU is getting outrebounded 35.5 rebounds per game to their opponents 38.9 rebounds per game.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will only have one more game left in the regular season due to Western Oregon forfeiting the rest of its women's basketball season. The Wildcats will take on St. Martin's on Thursday, February 29 for the regular season finale with a 5:15 p.m. tip-off time from inside Nicholson Arena.
