ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team (9-1, 1-0 GNAC) wraps up 2025 with their home-opener when they host the Walla Walla Wolves (2-6, 0-3 CCC) for the 'Cats annual Dollar Day where general admission tickets and select concessions only cost $1.
 
GAME INFORMATION:


#20 Central Washington vs. Walla Walla
6:00 p.m.
Nicholson Arena
Ellensburg, Wash.
WATCH ($): HERE
LIVE STATS: HERE
TICKETS: HERE
 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"We're excited to play our home-opener in front of our home crowd. This group has done a terrific job with a very challenging schedule on the road to start the season. Through these challenges they have showed a ton of resilience, commitment to each other, and growth which has led them to having a great start. I am extremely proud of the work they have put in and am excited for our home Wildcat fans to get their first in-person look at our team. We couldn't be more happy to be home and we're excited to step on the floor in Nicholson."
 
LAST MEETING:
 
The 'Cats and Wolves last met in 2022 when Nicholson Arena was being renovated, forcing the game to be held in Yakima, Wash. at Yakima Valley College. The 'Cats dominated with a 92-44 victory. Former Wildcat Sunny Huerta drilled a GNAC-record 46 points in the victory, adding three rebounds and two steals. Current CWU Women's Soccer Assistant Coach Samantha Bowman and current Wildcat Asher Cai both notched double-doubles. Bowman finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and one assist while Cai added 13 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Jaliyah Casem led the Wolves with 15 points, adding a rebound and four assists. CWU finished the game shooting 55.2 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from three, and 75 percent at the free-throw line while Walla Walla shot 27.7 percent from the floor, 25 percent from three, and 37.5 percent at the charity stripe. The 'Cats dominated the boards 51-29.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLVES:
 
Walla Walla is 2-6 on the season and 0-3 in Cascade Conference action. They took down Northwest Indian College 67-60 on the road to begin the season. They then fell to Montana Tech at home 84-43 followed by a pair of exhibition setbacks, first to Idaho 94-39 followed by a 91-31 setback at Western Oregon. They lost to Lewis & Clark 88-47 on the road but bounced back at Willamette for a 78-72 victory. They then got swept in their CCC-opening weekend, first a 95-34 setback at the College of Idaho followed by an 89-53 loss at Eastern Oregon. They lost to cross-town rival Whitman by an 83-38 score before falling this past Tuesday against Lewis-Clark State by an 88-27 score.
 
WWU currently averages 48.4 points per game while giving up 82.4 per game to their opponents. The Wolves are shooting 30.9 percent from the floor, 24.1 percent from three, and 69.7 percent at the free-throw line. Opponents are averaging 44.1 percent from the floor, 32.2 percent from three, and 62.2 percent at the charity stripe this season. Walla Walla is being outrebounded by their opponents by a 45-33.9 margin. The Wolves contribute 6.6 assists per game compared to the 18.9 opponents hand out. The Wolves average 20.5 turnovers per game and force 10.6 turnovers from their opponents. Of those 10.6 turnovers, 5.1 come as steals for the Wolves while opponents steal the ball 10.3 times per game. WWU blocks the ball 1.4 times per game while opponents average three blocks per game.
 
Jaylo Bello averages 16.4 points per game while Brooklyn Coe earns 13.6 points per game. Sidney Folkenberg grabs eight boards per game and is tied with Allison Haslam with 11 assists. Bello is the leader in steals with 10 while Haslam leads the Wolves with four blocks.
 
UP NEXT:
 
CWU will have a brief break over the holiday season and will return to action when they dive into GNAC play with a trek up north to The Last Frontier. The 'Cats first face the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks (0-8, 0-2 GNAC) on New Year's Day at 6:15 p.m. PST from inside the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium in Fairbanks. They then head south for a date with the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves (7-2, 0-2 GNAC) on Saturday, January 3 at 6:15 p.m. PST inside the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.