Central Washington University Athletics

ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team secured their first victory of the season, defeating the Midwestern State Mustangs on day two of the CWU D2 Tip-Off Classic.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (70), Midwestern State (52)
• Records: CWU (1-1), MSU (0-2)
• Location: Nicholson Arena (Ellensburg, Wash.)

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The Wildcats got started from a pair of free-throws by Kayla Thornton only to see MSU respond with a jumper from Bralyn Peck, but an and-one by Capri Sims sparked an 11-0 run by the 'Cats to take the 13-2 lead heading into the media timeout.
• Coming out of the media, Mallory Jackson sparked a back-and-forth battle but free-throws by Mackenzie Schulz and Lauren Burnside as well as a three from Schulz capped a 6-2 run to end the first with the 'Cats leading 23-10.
• Thornton started the second quarter with a jumper followed by a pair of free throws from Amaya Jarvis before the Mustangs went on a 9-0 run to cut it to a single-digit lead for CWU at 27-19 with 5:37 left in the second.
• The teams continued to battle the rest of the quarter, but clutch free throws from Jarvis and Nicole Wertenberger helped keep the Mustangs at bay, as the 'Cats took the 33-27 lead heading into the half break.
• The Wildcats came out swinging to begin the third quarter as a jumper from Baylee Maldonado started a 10-0 run by the 'Cats to take the 43-27 lead with 5:48 left in the third.
• Following the media timeout, the teams went back-and-forth trading buckets before a three from Wertenberger and a jumper from Sims wrapped up the action in the third quarter with CWU leading 52-34.
• Burnside drained a jumper to begin the fourth only to see a three by Jackson drain for the 'Stangs, but four-straight free throws by the 'Cats, two each by Jarvis and Kimberly Carrada Sanchez made it a 21-point lead for the 'Cats who led 58-37 with 7:50 left in the game.
• Another quick 7-0 run by the 'Cats, capped by a three from Carrada Sanchez was answered to by a 7-0 run from MSU to make it a 65-46 CUW lead with 4:33 left in the game.
• A layup by Carrada Sanchez was followed by a three form Wertenberger, but MSU concluded the scoring in the game with a 6-0 run as the 'Cats held out for a 70-52 victory.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Wertenberger led the 'Cats with 11 points while adding a rebound.
• Maldonado, Schulz, and Sims all finished with 10 points.
• Maldonado added five rebounds, three assists, and a block while Sims tacked on five rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal with Schulz finishing with a team-high eight rebounds and two blocks.
• Carrada Sanchez and Thornton each added nine points with Carrada Sanchez adding three rebounds, three assists, a block, and three steals while Thornton finished with four rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal.
• Burnside finished with six points and six rebounds while Jarvis tallied five points, five rebounds, a team-high five assists, and a steal.
• Rylee Leishman added two rebounds and an assist while Kaiya Dotter snagged a rebound.
• The 'Cats finished the game shooting 44.2 percent from the floor, 25 percent from three, and 77.3 percent from the free-throw line.
• The Mustangs were led by Jackson with 13 points.
• MSU shot 30.9 percent from the floor, 26.7 percent from three, and 73.7 percent at the free-throw line.
• The Wildcats won the rebound battle 45-25.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• This was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The 'Cats will wrap up the weekend with one final game when they face off against the 24th-ranked UT Tyler Patriots (1-1) tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. from inside Nicholson Arena.