SEATTLE – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team finished the weekend road trip with a well-earned victory at Seattle Pacific Saturday afternoon. Asher Cai and Capri Sims both notched double-doubles with Cai finishing with 17 points and 14 rebounds and Sims recording 20 points and 10 rebounds.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (75), Seattle Pacific (64)
• Records: CWU (18-6, 11-4 GNAC), SPU (7-20, 1-13 GNAC)
• Location: Royal Brougham Pavilion, Seattle

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"I was pleased with our overall execution tonight of our gameplan. I thought we did a great job executing some defensive schemes we wanted as well as play at a tempo that suited us. This was a big win for our group to bounce back and get an important road split. Capri had a monster game and gave us a big lift in the paint with her rebounding and scoring."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Sims put the first points on the board at the 8:36 mark, but Madison Rubino of SPU responded with a jumper of her own to tie things up.
• A 9-3 run by CWU made it 11-5 in favor of the 'Cats, but SPU responded with an 8-0 run of their own to take the 13-11 lead.
• Back-to-back threes by Keira Marsh and Sunny Huerta capped the first quarter with CWU leading 17-13.
• Cai opened the second quarter drilling a three to make it 20-13 CWU.
• A pair of buckets by Rubino of SPU cut it to a one possession game, but a pair of free-throws by Cai and Annalee Coronado paired with a jumper from Sims pushed the 'Cats back up 26-17.
• The two teams continued to battle back-and-forth for the next few minutes, but a 6-2 run by CWU to end the first half sent the teams to the half with CWU leading 40-30.
• A jumper by Huerta opened the action in the second half, but SPU responded with seven-straight to make it 42-37 in favor of CWU with 6:38 left in the third.
• Back-to-back buckets by Huerta put the 'Cats back on top by double-digits 49-39 with 3:30 left in the quarter.
• A 9-3 run by the 'Cats to wrap up the third quarter sent CWU to the final 10 minutes of action leading 58-44.
• A quick 6-2 run by the Falcons to open the fourth saw the CWU lead back down to 10, 60-50 with 7:46 left.
• A layup by Coronado and a three by Cai quickly changed things as the 'Cats now led 65-50 a minute later.
• A 6-0 run by the Falcons though made it a single-digit lead for the 'Cats at 65-56 with 4:54 left.
• The converted layup and the and-one by Huerta made it a double-digit lead once again for the crimson and black only to see it brought back down to eight after four-straight from the Falcons.
• The Falcons weren't going to go away quietly drilling a three down the stretch to keep it a single-digit lead for CWU, but hit free-throws sealed the deal for the crimson and black as they won 75-64.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Huerta led the way for CWU, finishing with 24 points while adding three rebounds, one assist, and three steals.
• Sims had her fourth straight double-double, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds to go with one assist and one steal.
• Cai also had a double-double with 17 points, 14 rebounds, one assist, and two steals.
• Coronado led the bench with eight points to go with four rebounds and two assists.
• Malia Smith had three points, four rebounds, and two assists while Marsh finished with three points.
• Shelby Blodgett had six rebounds and a steal while Aliyah Finch had one rebound and Jordy DeMott had three rebounds.
• The 'Cats finished the day shooting 40.7 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from three, and 78.8 percent at the free-throw line.
• SPU was held to 35.1 percent from the floor, 19 percent from three, and 72.7 percent at the free-throw line.
• CWU won the rebound battle 46-38.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• SPU holds the series lead since 1988 45-22.
• The 'Cats have a two-game win-streak over the Falcons.
• CWU is 5-27 in Royal Brougham Pavilion.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will be back home for one final homestand of the 2024-25 season.
• They first welcome the Western Oregon Wolves (8-14, 4-10 GNAC) on Thursday, February 20 for a 5:15 p.m. tip-off.
• CWU will host the St. Martin's Saints (14-8, 7-7 GNAC) for the 'Cats Senior Night on Saturday, February 22 at 4:00 p.m. with all the action coming from inside Nicholson Arena.