ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University women's basketball team fell in a nail-biting semifinal game to the top-seeded Montana State Billings Yellowjackets Friday afternoon. Annalee Coronado led the charge with 15 points.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (60), Montana State Billings (62)
• Records: CWU (19-12), MSUB (26-5)
• Location: Nicholson Arena, Ellensburg, Wash.

 
QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON-THORNLEY:
 
"MSUB is a great team who is so tough. They showed a lot of poise in pressure moments, and we have to give them credit. However, I am so extremely proud of our team tonight. They fought so hard, and I am disappointed for them to not get the result we desired. We had some missed opportunities we can look back on and continue to grow from. I know our team will do that because they have done it all year."
 
"This team has grown more than any other team we have had, and that is in the midst of some pretty big challenges. That says a lot about who they are as women, competitors, and teammates. I am so dang proud of them and am excited for their future. I know they want to continue to be in these moments in the years to come, and their work will reflect that. This loss hurts now, but they have a lot to be proud of as a team and as individuals."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• A jumper by MSUB just 18 seconds into the game opened the game with a free-throw by Capri Sims on the next Wildcat possession putting the 'Cats on the board making it 2-1 MSUB.
• Both teams continued to exchange buckets before back-to-back threes from Coronado tied the game at nine apiece with 4:47 left.
• An 11-2 run capped by an Aliyah Finch layup and one gave CWU the 20-11 lead after the first quarter.
• The Yellowjackets clawed their way back into the game nabbing the first eight points of the second quarter to make it a one-point lead for Central, 20-19.
• A free throw by Sunny Huerta at the 4:52 mark put the 'Cats on the board in the second quarter sparking a back-and-forth affair between the two teams.
• Threes by Coronado and Asher Cai on top of a free-throw by Keira Marsh made it a 30-22 lead for the 'Cats with 3:03 left in the second quarter.
• MSUB inched their way closer, but a pair of free throws by Marsh put CWU up 36-29 at halftime.
• An 8-2 run by MSUB to open the second half saw the Wildcat lead once again trimmed down to one, 38-37 with six minutes left in the third quarter.
• A layup by Sims put the 'Cats up three, but MSUB immediately responded with a three to tie the game at 40 apiece.
• Both teams continued to go bucket-for-bucket with the Wildcats clinging to the 46-44 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
• Picking up right where they left off in the third quarter, both teams continued to exchange buckets with the Yellowjackets converting a layup to tie the game at 52 apiece heading into the media timeout.
• Continuing their back-and-forth battle, MSUB would take their first lead since the beginning of the game with 2:29 left in the game converting a free-throw making it 57-56 MSUB.
• MSUB converted three free-throws over the next minute before Shelby Blodgett made a crucial layup to cut the 'Jacket lead to 60-58 with 1:16 left.
• The Yellowjackets converted a layup with 52 seconds left which was responded to by Asher Cai nailing a jumper, but a last-second putback bucket that went in turned out to be a millisecond too late giving MSUB the 62-60 victory.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Coronado led Central with 15 points, adding three rebounds and three assists.
• Cai finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, and two steals.
• Blodgett added 10 points, five rebounds, one block, and one steal.
• Huerta added eight points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
• Finch led the bench with seven points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and one steal.
• Sims tacked on three points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
• Marsh contributed three points, one assist, and two steals.
• Olivia Huntsinger added three rebounds and two assists.
• The Wildcats finished the day shooting 34.5 percent from the floor, 29.4 percent on three-point attempts, and 68.2 percent from the free-throw line.
• MSUB was held to 40.4 percent shooting on field goal attempts, 14.3 percent shooting from three, and 77.8 percent at the free-throw line.
• The Yellowjackets won the rebound battle 40-37.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• Since 2003 the Wildcats are 16-23 against MSUB.
• The Wildcats are now 8-10 against the Yellowjackets in Nicholson Arena.
• MSUB's win streak has now moved to five straight games over Central.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will wait and see if they can earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament with the selection show set for Sunday.