ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team concluded their season in the sweet 16 in front of an outstanding crowd Monday evening against Cal Poly Pomona.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: #1 Central Washington (51), #3 Cal Poly Pomona (57)
• Records: CWU (25-7), CPP (29-4)
• Location: Nicholson Arena (Ellensburg, Wash.)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"I'm proud of getting to this moment. I felt like our team played really hard and was invested in this moment and wanted this moment. We just didn't execute at a high enough level to win this moment. I felt like Pomona had their best players step up and really take over the game in the fourth quarter and just hurt us with second chance points. Credit to them, they hit a big big shot in a moment when we couldn't give up a three, they hit one and they hit two all night and kind of put the game in a tough spot for us with only six seconds left in the game. I'm proud of how this team, not just in this moment but in the year they've had, it's a phenomenal team, a team that's made history at Central Washington University and just the character of who they are as young women and how much they love each other and how much they're invested into each other and into our program and the team. I'm extremely proud of the season these women have had. I'm proud to get here, we obviously wanted to end up on the other side of this but for sure we will learn something from this and come back even stronger. We're just super grateful for our seniors and everything they've invested to help get us to this moment."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Mydrea Moore put the Broncos on the board first and added a second layup of her own to pair with a layup from hunter Hudson to make it a 6-0 CPP lead with 7:59 left in the first.
• A jumper by Annalee Coronado put the 'Cats on the board backed by a layup from Capri Sims saw the Broncos respond with a pair of buckets themselves to make it 10-4 CPP with 5:11 left in the first. 
• A pair of layups by Sims and four free-throws by Asher Cai saw the 'Cats take their first lead of the game at 12-10 with 1:08 left in the first. 
• A jumper by Sydney Nelson tied things up by a last second three by Cai gave the 'Cats the 15-12 lead after the first 10 minutes.
• Brielle Minor tied the game with a three to begin the second followed by a layup from Nelson to give the Broncos the lead once more. 
• A layup by Kayla Thornton sparked a bucket-for-bucket battle over the next several minutes until back-to-back jumpers by Andrea Stajic and Moore gave the Broncos the 27-23 lead heading into the halftime break.
• Fiona Snashall hit a big three to begin the third quarter and added the and-one to give the 'Cats the 29-27 lead with 9:07 left in the third.
• The Broncos charged back with a pair of free-throws and a layup by Nelson but a pair of free-throws by Cai and the and-one by Sims made it a 34-31 CWU lead with 3:46 left in the third.
• Three-straight buckets by the Broncos gave CPP the lead once again as the teams exchanged a pair of buckets to end the third with the Broncos on top 39-38.
• Nelson started the fourth with a layup but Sims combated it with a pair of free-throws, however three-straight buckets by the Broncos gave them their largest lead of the night at 47-40 with 5:54 left. 
• A layup by Thornton and a layup and pair of free-throws by Sims made it a 47-46 CPP lead with 3:38 to go. 
• The Broncos answered with a layup only to see Cai hit a three to tie it up at 49 apiece with 2:57 left. 
• Nelson hit the and-one followed by a pair of free-throws by Cai made it a 52-51 CPP lead with 1:23 left. 
• A three by Kadence Lloyd with seven seconds sealed the deal as Pomona hit a pair of free-throws to move on to the Elite Eight by a 57-51 score.

 
 STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Sims had her third double-double in as many games this tournament with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and one assist. 
• Cai added 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal. 
• Thornton and Snashall added six points each with Thornton adding three rebounds and one assist and Snashall contributing eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal. 
• Coronado finished with two points, two rebounds, three assists, and one steal. 
• Rylee Leishman had one assist. 
• The 'Cats shot 31.3 percent from the floor, 23.1 percent from three, and 94.7 percent at the free-throw line. 
• CPP was led by Nelson with 29 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal while Moore added 10 points, six rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal. 
• The Broncos finished the game shooting 37.3 percent from the floor, 25 percent from three, and 71.4 percent at the free-throw line. 
• CPP won the rebound battle by a 45-30 margin. 

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• CPP leads the all-time series 4-1. 
• This was the first meeting between the 'Cats and Broncos in Ellensburg. 
• This was the first time the two teams met in the playoffs. 

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will look to apply what they learned to next season with a strong core returning.