ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team is headed back to their second-straight Sweet 16 after downing Vanguard in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in front of another phenomenal crowd.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: #1 Central Washington (81), #4 Vanguard (73)
• Records: CWU (25-6), VU (25-6)
• Location: Nicholson Arena (Ellensburg, Wash.)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"I'm just elated for this team. They have worked so hard this year. We've had challenges, they've responded to those challenges, and they've taken advantage of this moment, and they've really come together and taken everything they've learned from this year and put it into these moments we've had again on our home floor. Again, you saw that tonight, and people stepped up huge, Vanguard's a phenomenal team, their coach is a legendary coach in Russ Davis, I have so much respect for him and what he does and who he is. They have some phenomenal top-end talent that you'll see at the Division II level, so we knew tonight was going to be a battle and we needed to hone in and try and get more stops than they do because that team can put up a lot of points. I'm so proud of how we came out in the second half, I feel like we defended them better than in the first and we made some adjustments, our girls stayed committed to it and kept the faith. I'm elated for our team; they've earned this moment and I'm so excited for them."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Capri Sims started the game off with a layup, but the Lions responded with a pair of buckets to take the 4-2 lead only to see the 'Cats respond with a layup from Fiona Snashall followed by a pair of layups from Sims to make it an 8-4 CWU lead.
• An and-one by Kaylee Byon but it to an 8-7 CWU lead which sparked a back-and-forth affair between the two teams until a three by Asher Cai was followed with an and-one from Sims to make it a 20-15 CWU lead with 50 seconds left in the first.
• A pair of free-throws by Kayla Boozer wrapped up the first quarter with the 'Cats on top 20-17.
• Sims kept going to work to begin the second quarter with back-to-back layups to make it a 24-17 CWU lead.
• Emma Schaaf put the Lions on the board in the second with a layup which began another back-and-forth battle between the two teams as the 'Cats answered with a bucket every time the Lions tied it.
• Rylee Leishman and Cai had back-to-back trey's for the 'Cats but Byon beat the buzzer with a jumper to make it a 41-38 CWU lead heading into the halftime break.
• Kayla Thornton earned a layup to begin the third only to see Schaaf respond with a layup of her own, but a layup by Sims and a three rom Cai quickly saw the 'Cats increase their lead to 48-40 with 7:28 left in the third.
• Vanguard saw Micaela Hanning hit a layup sparking a quick 5-0 run to cut it to a one possession game once again with the 'Cats leading 48-45 with 5:30 left in the third.
• The 'Cats responded with a 5-0 run of their own thanks to a jumper from Snashall and the and-one from Sims.
• Back-to-back buckets by the Lions began yet another bucket-for-bucket battle between the two teams as a free-throw by Cai and a pair of free-throws by Sims wrapped up the third quarter with CWU on top 60-53.
• Hanning started the fourth with a huge triple only to see Cai respond with one of her own and Sims to back it up with a layup.
• Back-to-back triples by Jaryn Madsen cut it to a 67-64 CWU lead but Snashall responded with a quick 6-0 run by herself to balloon it back to a nine-point CWU lead, 73-64 with 3:59 left.
• The teams went bucket-for-bucket the remainder of the game as the 'Cats answered everything the Lions threw at them to earn the 81-73 victory and move on to their second-consecutive Sweet 16.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai led the game with 31 points while adding three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
• Sims added a huge double-double of 24 points, 17 rebounds, and four assists with her 24 points matching her career-high.
• Snashall tacked on 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal.
• Annalee Coronado finished with five points, one rebound, and eight assists.
• Thornton added two points, one rebound, three assists, and two blocks while Leishman finished with three points, one rebound, four assists, and one steal.
• Aliyah Finch had two points while Mackenzie Schulz added one rebound and one steal.
• CWU shot 48.1 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from three, and 90.9 percent at the free-throw line.
• Vanguard was led by Schaaf with 21 points while adding six rebounds, one assist and three blocks while Byon and Madsen each added 17 and 14 points, respectfully.
• VU shot 43.1 percent from the floor, 13.6 percent from three, and 77.8 percent at the free-throw line.
• The 'Cats won the rebound battle by a 37-31 margin.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• CWU now is 3-0 against the Lions all-time.
• This was the first meeting between the two teams in Ellensburg.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will play for the West Region Championship in the Sweet 16 on Monday at 7:00 p.m. in Nicholson Arena.
• The 'Cats are set to face #3 Cal Poly Pomona who defeated #2 Western Washington in a tightly contested 57-54 game Saturday afternoon.