ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team earned another big victory inside Nicholson Arena Saturday afternoon after a second-straight double-double effort from Capri Sims with 21 points and 12 rebounds helped the Wildcats defeat the Simon Fraser Red Leafs.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (79), Simon Fraser (72)
• Record: CWU (17-5, 10-3 GNAC), SFU (11-11, 4-9 GNAC)
• Location: Nicholson Arena, Ellensburg, Wash.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Back-to-back layups by Sims started the game and put the 'Cats up 4-0 early.
• A three-pointer by Malia Smith sparked a back-and-forth battle between the two teams over the next several minutes until a three from Myrlaine Shelvey tied things up at 13 apiece but was immediately responded to by a three from Sunny Huerta.
• A quick 5-0 run by SFU force Coach Richardson to call a timeout, but back-to-back buckets by the Red Leafs put them up 24-19 with 1:41 left.
• A 9-0 run to end the first quarter saw the 'Cats jump back out in front 28-24.
• A three by Smith to open the second quarter saw CWU increase their lead to 31-24.
• Back-to-back buckets by Aliyah Finch followed by a jumper from Huerta gave CWU their first double-digit lead of the night at 37-26 with 5:57 left in the second.
• The Red Leafs responded with a 9-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to cut the CWU lead to two, 37-35.
• A pair of free-throws by Sophia Wisotzki ended the first half with CWU leading 41-39.
• SFU tied things up with another layup from Shelvey, but a three by Asher Cai sparked a 12-0 run to balloon the Wildcat lead to 53-41 with 6:51 left in the third.
• A 12-2 run by SFU later in the quarter brought made it a single possession lead for the 'Cats, leading only 57-54 with 1:54 left in the third.
• The final five points of the quarter came from a pair of free-throws by Smith and a three by Annalee Coronado to send the 'Cats to the fourth up 62-54.
• Cai piled in a layup to open the scoring in the fourth quarter and give the crimson and black a double-digit lead once more, but SFU responded with a quick four points of their own to make it 64-58 CWU with 9:09 left.
• The two teams exchanged a few buckets until another quick four-point run by the Leafs saw the 'Cat lead dwindled down to four, 68-64 with 4:59 left.
• Back-to-back layups by Sims and a layup by Cai saw the Wildcat lead extend back out to double-digits, 79-68 with 2:00 left forcing SFU to call at timeout.
• SFU earned the final four points of the game as the Wildcats earned the 79-72 victory.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Huerta led the way for CWU with 23 points, adding three rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.
• Sims posted a new career-high of 21 points while adding 12 rebounds, two assists, one block, and three steals.
• Cai tacked on 18 points to pair with eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
• Smith added eight points, four rebounds, and three assists while Finch contributed four points and two rebounds.
• Coronado finished with three points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block while Shelby Blodgett had two points and one assist.
• Keira Marsh had three assists while Rylee Leishman had two rebounds and an assist.
• CWU finished the game shooting 55.6 percent from the floor, 40 percent from three, and a perfect 11-11 from the free-throw line.
• SFU shot 33.8 percent from the floor, 21.7 percent from three, and 82.6 percent at the charity stripe tonight.
• The crimson and black won the rebound battle 39-32.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• Simon Fraser owns the series 39-21 since 1988.
• CWU is 8-20 in Nicholson Arena against the Red Leafs.
• The 'Cats are on a seven-game win-streak over SFU.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will be back on the road as they travel to 18th-ranked Montana State Billings (21-4, 10-2 GNAC) on Thursday, February 13 with a 4:15 p.m. PST tip-off from inside Alterowitz Gymnasium.
• CWU will then travel to Seattle Pacific (6-19, 0-12 GNAC) for a Saturday, February 15 4:15 p.m. tip-off inside the Royal Broughham Pavilion.