BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team earned a resounding 65-44 victory over the San Francisco State Gators to begin the Lynda Goodrich Classic Friday afternoon. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (65), San Francisco State (44)
• Records: CWU (5-0), SFSU (2-3)
• Location: Carver Gym (Bellingham, Wash.)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"Happy to get a win however we do not feel we played well or to the standard we want for ourselves today. There are a lot of learnings we can take from today and  need to address before we play a very good Mary team tomorrow."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Capri Sims earned the first bucket of the game at the 7:53 mark and not long after Fiona Snashall added on a jumper of her own before the Gators earned a three for their first bucket of the game sparking a back-and-forth between the teams for the next couple of minutes with the 'Cats holding onto the 9-5 lead heading into the media timeout. 
• Another layup by Sims was followed by a three and a jumper from Asher Cai to make it 16-5, but a pair of free-throws by the Gators concluded the first quarter with the 'Cats on top 16-7. 
• San Francisco State began the second quarter with back-to-back threes by Leilani Blecha to cut it to a 16-13 CWU lead, but the 'Cats settled in and rattled off a 15-2 run thanks to big three-pointers from Cai and back-to-back treys from Emily Shaw to see the 'Cats head to the media timeout with the 31-15 lead. 
• It was all Gators out of the media timeout as Kayla Thornton earned the only CWU bucket the remainder of the second as SFSU cut the lead to single-digits, 33-24 to head to the half break. 
• Thornton earned the first bucket of the third, but the Gators answered with a pair of their own to cut it to a seven-point lead, however CWU used a seven-point run thanks to a three from Jordy DeMott and a pair of layups from Sims to make it 42-28 CWU with 6:05 left in the third. 
• The Gators used a seven-point answer to cut it back down to single-digits at 42-35 but a layup from Snashall began an 8-2 run by the 'Cats to end the third with the crimson and black on top 50-37. 
• Sims immediately put a bucket in to begin the fourth, sparking a 6-1 run that saw the CWU lead increase to 18, 56-38. 
• The 'Cats continued to answer anytime the Gators would go on a small run as a made free-throw by Geriah Bradley concluded the game as the 'Cats earned a 65-44 victory. 

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai led all scores in the game with 23 points, adding five rebounds, four assists, and one steal. 
• Sims also saw a double-digit performance, earning 15 points and was one rebound away from a double-double with nine total, and contributed three assists, a team-high three blocks, and three steals.
• Snashall added eight points, four rebounds, two assists, and one block while Shaw tacked on nine points and an assist off the bench. 
• Thornton finished with four points, one rebound, three assists, one block, and two steals while Rylee Leishman added three points, two rebounds, four assists, and one block. 
• DeMott finished with three points, a team-high 10 rebounds, and one block while Sierra Eddie added two rebounds and an assists, Nicole Wertenberger added three assists, Aliyah Finch grabbed one rebound, and Lylah Spring grabbed two rebounds. 
• The 'Cats finished the game shooting 47.4 percent from the floor, 32 percent from three, and 60 percent at the free-throw line. 
• The Gators were led by Athena Brombacher who had 12 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. 
• SFSU finished the game shooting 24.5 percent from the floor, 25 percent from three, and 81.3 percent at the free-throw line.
• The 'Cats won the rebound battle 37-31. 

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The 'Cats are now ahead in the all-time series 3-2. 
• CWU has now won the only neutral site game between the two squads. 
• CWU is 3-1 against SFSU in the state of Washington.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The crimson and black will conclude their time at the Lynda Goodrich Classic tomorrow at noon when they take on the Mary Marauders from inside Carver Gym.