ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team prepares to host the NCAA Division II West Region Tournament for the first time in program history and will square off with a familiar foe in the eighth-seeded Montana State Billings Yellowjackets (20-14) on Friday.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Friday, March 13
#1 Central Washington vs. #8 Montana State Billings
5:00 p.m.
Nicholson Arena
Ellensburg, Wash.
WATCH:
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LIVE STATS:
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TICKETS:
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TOURNAMENT CENTRAL:
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QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
"Our team and program are very excited about the opportunity to play in and host the NCAA West Regional. Our group has worked tremendously hard, had the necessary success needed to get here, and has stuck together and kept moving forward through challenges and adversity that a basketball season can bring. I am so incredibly proud of them and am excited for them to take all of that and step onto Nicholson floor again together Friday."
THE NCAA WEST REGION TOURNAMENT:
The Wildcats grabbed the top seed in the west for the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament announced last Sunday night. This will be the first time in program history that the CWU Women's Basketball Team has earned the top seed and the right to host.
Following the 'Cats in the second seed is fellow GNAC-member and GNAC Regular Season Champion, the Western Washington Vikings. WWU earned a 24-7 record on the season and split with CWU, with each team winning in their respective gyms.
The third-seeded and CCAA Regular Season Champion Cal Poly Pomona Broncos own a 26-4 record on the season including a thrilling 70-67 victory over CWU in Pomona over the holiday break that saw the 'Cats claw back from a 23-point deficit halfway through the third quarter to cut it to two with seven seconds remaining, but a last second three to tie the game by CWU wouldn't go.
Vanguard earned the fourth seed in their first-ever NCAA Division II Women's Basketball appearance. They have a 24-5 record in their first season of postseason eligibility after concluding their transition to NCAA Division II from the NAIA. CWU and VU met on November 21, 2025, in Nampa, Idaho in the first game of the GNAC-PacWest Crossover where the 'Cats earned a tough 66-58 victory.
Cal State LA will face off against Vanguard in the first round as the fifth seed in the region. The Golden Eagles are fresh off a CCAA Tournament Championship where they slayed second seeded Cal Poly Humboldt followed by a victory at Cal Poly Pomona for their first-ever CCAA Championship. CSULA is 24-6 on the season and hosted CWU over the holiday break where the 'Cats clipped the Golden Eagles by a 74-59 score.
Azusa Pacific was named the sixth seed in the west region in their final year as a member of NCAA Division II. The Cougars are 23-9 on the year and made an appearance in the PacWest Championship game after upsetting second-seeded Point Loma in San Diego before falling to Vanguard by a 61-47 score. They will clash with CPP who they defeated in a thrilling 54-53 game in their opening weekend of the season at the CCAA/PacWest Challenge at Cal State San Marcos.
Point Loma was tabbed the seventh seed in the west region after accumulating a 21-8 record. PLNU was the 'Cats first round opponent in the NCAA Division II West Region a season ago where the 'Cats held the Sea Lions to 12 first half points enroute to a 74-53 victory.
Montana State Billings snuck into the tournament as an eight seed after becoming the first-ever six seed to win the GNAC Tournament. In order to win the GNAC Tournament, the Yellowjackets defeated each of the top three seeds in the Tournament to earn the automatic bid for the conference to the NCAA Tournament. The 'Cats are 2-1 against MSUB this season, earning the regular season sweep including an overtime thriller in Ellensburg before the 'Jackets sought their revenge, outing the 'Cats in the GNAC Tournament last week.
SCOUTING THE #8 YELLOWJACKETS:
Montana State Billings is 20-14 on the season. They earned the automatic qualifier bid for the GNAC thanks to their GNAC Tournament Championship at Western Washington last weekend. MSUB first took down the third-seeded Saint Martin's Saints in a tight 69-61 victory on Thursday. They then defeated the second-seeded 'Cats on Friday by a 79-74 score. They capped off their successful weekend with a 66-61 victory over top seeded and host Western Washington, handing the Vikings their first loss of the season in Carver Gym by a 66-61 score.
MSUB averages 65.9 points per game while giving up 61.7 points to their opponents. They are shooting 38.8 percent from the floor, 29.2 percent from three, and 71.6 percent at the free-throw line. Opponents are averaging 37.1 percent from the floor, 28.9 percent from three, and 76.3 percent at the charity stripe. The Yellowjackets outrebound their opponents by a 41.3 to 35.9 margin per game. MSUB contributes more assists than their opponents by a 14.2 to 12.6 margin. The 'Jackets turn the ball over at a 14.2 clip per contest while forcing their opponents to turn the ball over 14.8 times a game. Of those 14.8 turnovers, 8.2 come as steals for MSUB while opponents steal the ball 7.6 times a game. MSUB averages 3.8 blocks a game while opponents average 3.4 blocks a contest.
GNAC Tournament MVP and GNAC Feshman of the year Cassie Chesnut became the first freshman to ever earn the accolade and leads the Yellowjackets this season in almost every category. She's the only member of the Yellowjackets to average double-digits this season at 13.7 points per game and leads the rebounding charge at 8.6 rebounds per game. She's added 31 assists but leads MSUB in both steals and blocks at 50 and 51 on the season. Tailey Harris is the next highest scorer at 9.6 points per game while adding 3.3 rebounds a contest but has a team-high 106 assists to pair with 36 steals and 18 blocks. Kyla Momberg and Kaitlin Grossman aren't far behind Harris at 9.6 and 9.3 points per game.
UP NEXT:
If the Wildcats earn a victory, they will move on to the round of 32 to face the winner of #4 Vanguard and #5 Cal State LA on Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Nicholson Arena.
