ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team couldn't keep pace with a hot start from Alaska Anchorage and fell on the road Thursday evening.
Asher Cai led way in the game with 22 points.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
- Final: Central Washington (56), Alaska Anchorage (65)
- Records: CWU (14-5, 7-3 GNAC), UAA (18-3, 9-1 GNAC)
- Location: Alaska Airlines Center, Anchorage, Alaska
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
"Credit UAA for coming out and setting the tone on both ends of the floor. They had 23 more field goal attempts than us in the first half with our inability to match their intensity and physicality, especially on the boards. The second half we were able to make up some of that ground, but it was too much of an early deficit to overcome. We experienced a good taste of the level it's going to take to compete at that highest level. We have to learn from and be motivated by this to pull more out of ourselves and each other in practices and games."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Seawolves took the early 6-2 lead after the Wildcats could only find buckets on free-throws by Sunny Huerta and Capri Sims.
- Huerta grabbed the first field goal of the game for CWU with a layup at the 7:56 mark to make it 6-4 UAA.
- Shelby Blodgett drilled a three before the expiring shot clock to cut the Seawolf lead to three, 10-7 with 6:51 left in the first.
- The two teams battled back-and-forth over the next few minutes as the Seawolves took the 18-11 lead after a layup by Hedda Koehne with 1:30 left.
- A jumper by Sims and a pair of free-throws by Huerta was responded to with a three from Elaina Mack of UAA to end the first quarter with UAA on top 21-15.
- The Seawolves continued with the momentum to start the second quickly grabbing their first double-digit lead of the game less than two minutes into the quarter.
- A three and an and-one by Asher Cai quickly cut the deficit back down to single digits, but a 9-2 run by the Seawolves saw UAA take the 34-21 lead with 3:52 left in the second.
- The two teams continued to battle, but a three pointer and a free-throw by the Seawolves made it a 43-26 UAA halftime lead.
- The two squads went bucket-for-bucket to open the third quarter.
- A 6-0 run by Cai and Huerta sliced the deficit back down to 10, 49-39 with 3:05 left.
- A jumper by Mack of UAA sent the 'Cats into the fourth quarter down 12, 53-41.
- A 6-2 run by CWU saw the Seawolf lead down to single digits, 55-47, forcing UAA to call a timeout with 5:29 left in the game.
- UAA immediately ballooned the lead back out to 13 out of the timeout after a five-point from from Jazzpher Evans.
- A pair of free-throws by Huerta and a three from Cai saw CWU back in a single-digit deficit, 60-52 with 1:13 left.
- Made free-throws down the stretch helped secure the victory for the Seawolves as the 'Cats fell 65-56.
STATS FROM THE GAME:
- Cai led the game with 22 points and added seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal.
- Huerta added 17 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
- Sims had a solid outing with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one block.
- Blodgett was the only other 'Cat to score on the night, adding three points, two rebounds, and three assists.
- Malia Smith had one rebound, and one assists while Annalee Coronado had five rebounds, one assist, and one block while Keira Marsh had one steal.
- The 'Cats finished the night shooting 40.9 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from three, and 73.9 percent at the free-throw line.
- The Seawolves shot 43.3 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from three, and 72.7 percent at the free-throw line.
- UAA won the rebound battle 33-28.
SERIES HISTORY:
- UAA now holds the 39-17 advantage in the series since 1997.
- The 'Cats are 7-19 in Anchorage.
- CWU is now on a two-game skid to the Seawolves.
UP NEXT:
- The crimson and black will travel even further north as they head to Fairbanks to clash with the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks (6-12, 1-9 GNAC) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. from inside the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium.
