ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team will look toward a big weekend back in Ellensburg as they host the Seattle Pacific Falcons and the 6th-ranked Montana State Billings Yellowjackets this week.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Thursday, January 16
5:15 p.m.
Central Washington vs. Seattle Pacific
Nicholson Arena
Ellensburg, Wash.
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Saturday, January 18
4:00 p.m.
Central Washington vs. #6 Montana State Billings
Nicholson Arena
Ellensburg, Wash.
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QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON
 
"Another big conference week at home against two very talented teams in SPU and MSUB. Both teams will have very experienced players and will challenge us schematically in different ways. Billings has proven themselves not only to be one of the top teams in the conference, but also the entire country. Our prep this week is vital to have success."
 
LAST OUTINGS
 
The Wildcats earned a road split in their first road contests of GNAC play of the season. They first had a huge 82-70 victory north of the border at Simon Fraser behind a big scoring output in the second and third quarters. A 27-point fourth quarter including a six-minute 15-2 run helped Western Washington make the comeback and squeak past CWU 67-65 on Saturday.
 
At SFU, Asher Cai led the Wildcats with 22 points and finished one rebound shy of a double-double with nine rebounds and had a team-high three steals. Malia Smith tied a single-game CWU record, going a perfect 6-6 from three for a total of 18 points. Sunny Huerta finished with 17 points and a game-high six assists. Capri Sims also finished in double-digits with 13 points. The Wildcats finished the game shooting 52.7 percent from the floor, 44 percent from three, and a perfect 13-13 at the free-throw line. CWU won the rebound battle 39-29.
 
At WWU, Cai once again led CWU, this time with 24 points and once again finished one rebound short of a double-double with nine rebounds. She also led CWU with three more steals. Sims was the only other 'Cat in double-figures with 14 points and was tied with Cai with nine rebounds and added two blocks. Huerta led CWU with seven assists. The Wildcats shot 43.1 percent from the floor, 31.8 percent from three, and 61.5 percent at the free-throw line. WWU edged out the 'Cats in the rebound battle 32-31.
 
LAST MEETINGS
 
The Wildcats and Falcons last met on February 1, 2024, in Seattle when SPU came away with a 76-65 victory. Cai led CWU with 26 points and eight rebounds while Huerta added 15 points, and six steals and Sims had 10 points. The Falcons had Lolo Weatherspoon with 26 points, Olivia Mayer with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Schuyler Berry with 18 points. CWU finished the game shooting 36.1 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent from three, and 70.6 percent at the free-throw line. SPU shot 41.9 percent from the floor, 47.1 percent from three, and 88.9 percent at the free-throw line. The Falcons dominated the rebound battle 45-31.
 
CWU and MSUB last met in the GNAC Tournament Semifinal on March 8, 2024, in Ellensburg with the Yellowjackets escaping with a 62-60 victory. Annalee Coronado led the crimson and black with 15 points with Cai not far behind with 14 points. Shelby Blodgett also added 10 points. Cai and Aliyah Finch tied with eight rebounds with Finch also having two blocks. MSUB saw all of their scoring come from four players as Kola Bad Bear finished with 21 points, Kortney Nelson finished with 19 points, Aspen Giese added 12 points, and Dyauni Boyce tacked on 10 points with Nelson finishing with a double-double adding 10 rebounds. The Wildcats finished the night shooting 34.5 percent from the floor, 29.4 percent from three, and 68.2 percent at the free-throw line while MSUB shot 40.4 percent from the floor, 14.3 percent from three, and 77.8 percent at the free-throw line. MSUB won the rebound battle 40-37.
 
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
 
SPU is 6-12 on the season and 0-5 in GNAC play. They opened their season north of the border at the D2CCA Canadian Tip-Off Classic where they went 0-3 falling to Tampa, Gannon, and Dominican (CA). They fell twice more in the West Region Crossover falling to Cal State LA and Cal State Dominguez Hills at CSUDH. They earned their first victory of the season in their home-opener taking down last season final four participant Cal State San Marcos but fell the next day to Azusa Pacific. They split in their Thanksgiving Tournament falling by one to Metro State but bounced back for a victory over Colorado Christian. They were swept on the road to open GNAC play, falling to Simon Fraser and Western Washington but went undefeated during the holiday break taking down Stanislaus State and Pacific Lutheran at home before defeating Westminster (UT) on the road and avenged their loss to Metro State in Salt Lake City. They've been 0-3 since resuming GNAC play falling at MSUB and at home to St. Martin's and Western Oregon.
 
The Falcons are averaging 64.1 points per game but are getting outscored by their opponents who are averaging 70.7 points per game. They have a 39.6 field goal percentage, a 25.8 three-point percentage, and a 71.7 free-throw percentage. The Falcons opponents are averaging a 42.2 field goal percentage, a 35.2 three-point percentage, and a 73.7 free-throw percentage. SPU is getting slightly outrebounded by their opponents 36.3 rebounds per game to their opponents 38 per game. They're averaging 16.8 turnovers while forcing 16 turnovers a game with 8.3 coming as steals and are averaging 4.2 blocks a game.
 
Hunter Beirne and Layne Kearns are each averaging double-digit points per game at 11.6 and 10.7 points per game, respectively. Kearns is the leading rebounder for SPU at 4.7 rebounds per game as well as the leader in steals with 23 on the season while Beirne has contributed the most assists at 59. Grace Leasure has the most blocks for the Falcons with 18 on the season.
 
SCOUTING THE #6 YELLOWJACKETS
 
MSUB opened their season hosting the D2CCA Tipoff Classic at the Trailhead going 2-1 posting victories over Texas A&M International and Findlay but fell to 3rd-ranked Grand Valley State. They went on a tear with 10-straight victories, defeating Westmont, Vanguard, Chadron State, Colorado School of Mines, Rocky Mountain twice, Minot State, Western Washington, Simon Fraser, and Montana Western. They had a three-point setback to 23rd-ranked Cal Poly Pomona in Las Vegas but rebounded for a pair of ranked victories over UT Tyler and Lubbock Christian also in Vegas. Since diving back into GNAC play they defeated Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon, and St. Martin's all at home.
 
The Yellowjackets are outscoring their opponents 69.3 to 54.6 points per game. They're currently shooting 42.1 percent from the floor, 35.8 percent from three, and 75.1 percent at the free-throw line while giving up 37.3 percent from the floor, 27.7 percent from three, and 70.2 percent at the free-throw line to their opponents. MSUB is outrebounding their opponents 39.8 to 30.7 rebounds per game. They are averaging 16.7 assists per game while giving up 14.6 turnovers but have been forcing 16.6 turnovers on their opponents with 8.7 coming as steals. They're averaging 4.3 blocks a game.
 
Dyauni Boyce and Aspen Giese have led the Yellowjackets this season with 15.1 and 13.5 points per game, respectively. Boyce and Kortney Nelson are tied for the most rebounds on the team at 6.2 per game while Nelson has been the assists leader with 81 on the season. Giese has the most steals this season with 38 while Kaitlin Grossman has the most blocks with 20.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Wildcats begin their two-week road trek, first traveling to Lacey, Wash. to take on St. Martin's (9-5, 2-4 GNAC) on Thursday, January 23 at 5:15 p.m. before wrapping up the weekend with a 2:00 p.m. clash in Monmouth, Ore. at Western Oregon (7-7, 3-3 GNAC) on Saturday, January 25.