ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team has been named the Athletic Solutions GNAC Team of the Week for the first time this season after finding themselves in their second-straight Sweet 16. 
 
The Wildcats are back in the NCAA West Region Championship for the second time in program history and for the second-straight season. They had a quick exit out of the GNAC Tournament against eventual GNAC Tournament Champion, the sixth-seeded Montana State Billings Yellowjackets who would become the first six seed to win the tournament by a 79-74 score. 
 
CWU sought their revenge against eighth-seeded MSUB in the first round of the tournament and did they earn it. After a tight 13-13 first quarter, the 'Cats defense stuffed the Yellowjackets while their offense clicked on all cylinders enroute to a 63-36 victory to advance to the round of 32. Fiona Snashall led the 'Cats with 20 points while grabbing nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals while Annalee Coronado tacked on 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, and one block and Capri Sims added a double-double of 15 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, one block, and two steals. The 'Cats shot 40.9 percent from the floor, 20.8 percent from three, and 66.7 percent at the free-throw line. MSUB was led by Cassie Chesnut who had 11 points, seven rebounds, one assist, four blocks, and one steal. The 'Jackets were held to 23.6 percent shooting from the floor, 13.3 percent from three, and 57.1 percent at the free-throw line. The 'Cats dominated the boards by a 51-31 margin including 16 offensive boards. 
 
The Wildcats kept going in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a huge 81-73 victory over the fourth-seeded Vanguard Lions. The Wildcats maintained a three-point lead heading into the third quarter and ballooned their lead up to double-digits at one point in the third only to see the Lions roar back, but clutch baskets and stellar defense helped the 'Cats combat any run the Lions had. Asher Cai led the game with 31 points while adding three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Sims had another double-double of 24 points, 17 rebounds, and four assists while Snashall added 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal. The 'Cats finished the game shooting 48.1 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from three, and 90.9 percent at the free-throw line. Vanguard had three players in double-digits led by Emma Schaaf with 21 points, six rebounds, one assist, and three blocks while Kaylee Byon added 17 points, three rebounds, five assists, and two steals and Jaryn Madsen contributed 14 points, three rebounds, and two assists. VU shot 43.1 percent from the floor, 13.6 percent from three, and 77.8 percent at the free-throw line. CWU won the rebound battle 37-31. 
 
The Wildcats will look to punch their first-ever Elite Eight appearance tonight when they face off against the third-seeded Cal Poly Pomona Broncos (28-4) at 7:00 p.m. inside Nicholson Arena with tonight's game being a whiteout. 
 
Read the full GNAC release HERE