ELLENSBURG, Wash. – For the second-straight season and the third time in program history, the Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team is headed to the round of 32 after a dismantling of eighth-seeded Montana State Billings in front of an electric crowd Friday evening. CWU junior forward notched her 1,000th career point in the win. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: #1 Central Washington (63), #8 Montana State Billings (36)
• Records: CWU (24-6), MSUB (20-15)
• Location: Nicholson Arena (Ellensburg, Wash.)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"I'm very excited and happy for our team and to come out and play Billings, who this was our fourth time playing them this year, we played them just last week, who's such a great team, we have such respect for them and their coaching staff and what they do and their players play so hard. To come out and play the way we did tonight and on our home floor is exactly what we wanted and envisioned for this week. I'm just so proud of our girls for going out and executing and having the game that we did. For our seniors to have another opportunity to play in Nicholson after two weeks ago and to come out here and get another opportunity today and then another opportunity tomorrow. I'm just really pleased with our performance and our execution on both ends of the ball."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 
 

• Sims got the ball rolling with a layup which MSUB responded with a three from Kyla Momberg and a jumper from Tailey Harris to make it a 5-2 MSUB lead. 
• Annalee Coronado put the 'Cats back on the board with a jumper which sparked a back-and-forth battle the next few possessions after Rae Smart made it a 9-8 MSUB lead with 5:24 after a layup.
• Coronado tacked on a three followed by a layup from Fiona Snashall to put CWU up 13-9 but a pair of baskets by MSUB tied things up at 13 which concluded the scoring of the first, deadlocked at 13 apiece.
• Sims put the 'Cats back on top to begin the second followed by a layup from Coronado, but a jumper by Cassie Chesnut put MSUB on the board in the second with the 'Cats on top 17-15 with 7:21 left.
• Snashall responded with a three followed by layups from Coronado and Sims to give the 'Cats the 24-15 lead with 3:49 left in the second.
• A pair of free-throws by Chesnut broke the Wildcats streak as Coronado began it again with a layup followed by a pair of free-throws by Coronado and a layup by Sims to send the teams to the halftime break with the 'Cats on top 30-17.
• The teams exchanged a bucket to begin the third but back-to-back three's from Snashall started a 14-0 run by the 'Cats who exploded their lead to 46-19 with 6:18 left in the third. 
• Allison Kunze broke the 'Cats run with a pair of free-throws but the 'Cats responded with Sims, Coronado, and Asher Cai all hitting a layup to make it a 52-21 CWU lead with 4:06 left in the third.
• The Yellowjackets saw Harris hit a jumper with Chesnut adding a free-throw which then saw Snashall hit a layup for the 'Cats only for the Yellowjackets to conclude the third with a pair of layups from Kaitlin Grossman and Harris, giving the 'Cats the 54-28 lead heading into the final 10 minutes. 
• Mackenzie Schulz earned her first collegiate points to begin the fourth quarter and make it a 56-28 CWU lead with 8:55 left.
• MSUB got on the board in the fourth with a pair of free-throws by Harris and a three from Smart which was followed by the teams exchanging baskets the rest of the way capped by a layup from Aliyah Finch to seal the 63-36 CWU victory.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Fiona Snashall led the game with 20 points while adding nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
• Coronado added 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, and one block. 
• Sims added a double-double of 15 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, one block, and two steals.
• Thornton finished with four points, five rebounds, six assists, and two blocks.
• Cai added two points, four rebounds, one block, and two steals.
• Finch added two points, seven rebounds, and one assist while Schulz added two points, one rebound, one block, and one steal.
• Emily Shaw added one point while Rylee Leishman had one rebound and one block and Jordy DeMott grabbed two boards.
• CWU shot the ball at a 40.9 percent clip from the floor, 20.8 percent rate from three, and 66.7 percent clip at the free-throw line.
• Chesnut led MSUB with 11 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, and one steal. 
• The Yellowjackets finished the game shooting 23.6 percent from the floor, 13.3 percent from three, and 57.1 percent at the free-throw line. 
• The 'Cats won the rebound battle 51-31 including 16 offensive boards. 

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• MSUB leads the all-time series 33-21.
• The 'Cats are 4-6 against MSUB in the last 10 games.
• MSUB is 13-12 in Ellensburg. 

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will face off against the fourth-seeded Vanguard Lions in the second round.
• The 'Cats and Lions will clash at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night in Nicholson Arena.
• VU is making their NCAA Division II Tournament debut and earned a hard-fought 79-75 first round victory over Cal State LA Friday evening.