ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The 17th-ranked Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team concluded the regular season with a heartbreaking setback to the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (56), Northwest Nazarene (58)
• Records: CWU (23-5, 14-4 GNAC), NNU (17-9, 12-6 GNAC)
• Location: Nicholson Arena (Ellensburg, Wash.)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"We built all year to have a moment like this, and it was a great game. Credit to NNU for making some big plays down the stretch and things didn't fall for us. This moment doesn't define this team, and there is more season to be played. I love our seniors and I'm proud of who they have been in their time as Wildcats. Next week we will respond."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• A layup by Kayla Thornton began the game and was the beginning of a quick 10-0 run by the 'Cats to begin the game seeing a pair of buckets from Annalee Coronado and buckets from Asher Cai and Fiona Snashall in the process.
• The Nighthawks got on the board at the 4:54 mark with a three from Beaux Bruegman followed by a jumper from Jené Wells who cut it to a 10-5 CWU lead.
• Back-to-back threes by Coronado followed by an exchange of buckets from the two teams saw the 'Cats take the 18-9 lead after the first 10 minutes.
• Cai hit a jumper to begin the second quarter which then saw the two teams trade buckets for a majority of the rest of the quarter.
• A jumper from Wells and a three from Claire Fischer cut it to a five-point game once again in favor of CWU, 26-21 with 2:51 left.
• Cai drained a free-throw but Trinidie Nichols hit a layup before the halftime break to make it a 27-23 CWU lead.
• A pair of free-throws by Sadi Clemons to begin the third was answered by Cai with a jumper and Thornton with a layup to make it a 31-25 CWU lead with 7:23 left in the third.
• The teams exchanged a pair of buckets but a three from Coronado followed by an and-one from Cai made it a 39-29 CWU lead with 4:45 left in the third.
• The teams continued to go back-and-forth but four free-throws by NNU to end the third quarter saw it a one possession lead once again for the 'Cats, 44-41.
• NNU came out with back-to-back threes to take their first lead of the game to open the fourth quarter.
• The two teams exchanged a pair of buckets but a pair of free-throws by Wells followed by a layup from Bruegman saw the Nighthawks take the 53-48 lead with 4:51 left.
• Coronado answered with a three backed by a layup from Cai to tie things up with 3:18 left in the game.
• A last second three to beat the shot clock by Kendall Clark proved to be the difference as the Nighthawks hit a pair of free-throws down the stretch despite multiple turnovers in the final seconds by both teams to take the 58-56 victory.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai was the leading scorer in the game, finishing with a double-double of 23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
• Coronado followed Cai in the scoring for the game, adding 18 points, two rebounds, and two assists.
• Capri Sims added five points, six rebounds, and one steal.
• Thornton finished with four points, four rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.
• Snashall added four points, nine rebounds, one assist, and two steals.
• Rylee Leishman tacked on two points, three rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and three steals.
• The 'Cats shot 39.2 percent from the floor, 27.8 percent from three, and 68.8 percent at the free-throw line.
• NNU saw Clemons lead the way with 15 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals while Wells added 12 points, one rebound, and six assists.
• The Nighthawks shot 38.2 percent from the floor, 40 percent from three, and a perfect 10-10 at the free-throw line.
• CWU dominated the boards by a 41-26 margin.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• NNU leads the all-time series 36-20.
• The Nighthawks lead in Ellensburg 15-10.
• Northwest Nazarene leads conference games by a 32-18 margin.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will await their fate in the GNAC Tournament.
• CWU has received a first-round as the second seed bye due to the tiebreaker over Saint Martin's.
• The 2026 GNAC Tournament is hosted in Bellingham, Wash. on WECU Court at Carver Gym from Thursday, March 5 through Saturday, March 7 and will feature both the top six men's and women's squads in the GNAC this season.