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ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington women’s basketball team (4-3) will head back on the road for a pair of games in Bellingham as a part of the WWU Thanksgiving Tournament.
GAME INFORMATION
Friday, November 24
4:30 p.m.
Central Washington vs. Hawaii Pacific
Carver Gym
Bellingham, Wash.
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Saturday, November 25
4:30 p.m.
Central Washington vs. Minnesota State Moorhead
Carver Gym
Bellingham, Wash.
WATCH LIVE STATS TICKETS
QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON-THORNLEY
“We’re excited for another challenging week on the road against two great programs. We are learning a lot about ourselves right now and I’m excited to see our team’s response and where we can grow from there.”
LAST OUTING
The Wildcats concluded their home-opening week suffering a 90-77 setback to Cal State Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Wildcats were once again paced by Asher Cai who needed 28 points to pair with eight rebounds and two assists. Sunny Huerta added 17 points with her two rebounds, four assists, and two steals while Malia Smith scored a career-high 17 points and made a steal to add to her resume. Capri Sims continued the stellar start to her freshman campaign with eight points, 12 rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Annalee Coronado knocked down three points, three assists, and two steals while Keira Marsh and Shelby Blodgett each added two points with Marsh adding two rebounds, three assists, the Wildcats sole block, and a crimson and black-high three steals.
CWU capped off the home-opening week with a resounding 84-71 victory over first year NCAA Division II program, the Westmont Warriors from inside Nicholson Arena Saturday afternoon. Cai once again led the Wildcats with 27 points, tacking on five rebounds and two steals. Sims posting her second double-double in her young career with 18 points and 12 rebounds, adding on two assists and two steals. Huerta also had another productive day posting 17 points to pair with her three rebounds, five assists, and one block. Coronado added on seven points with one rebound, a game-high seven assists, and one steal. Tori Maeda knocked down four points, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the third quarter to go with her one rebound and three assists. Marsh, Smith, and Blodgett each added on three points while Aliyah Finch finished the game with two points.
SCOUTING THE SHARKS
HPU has started the season 1-2. They opened their season hosting the GNAC/PacWest Crossover in which they fell 66-48 to Alaska Anchorage to open their season before falling in a tight contest 57-54 to 15th-ranked Montana State Billings from inside The Shark Tank. The Sharks then took on Stanislaus State on Tuesday and grinded out their first win of the season in a 66-61 battle from inside The Shark Tank.
The Sharks have been led by Erika Glenn who’s the only player averaging double figures with 11.7 points per game. Haley Masaki is second on the Sharks, averaging 9.7 points per game while Kalina Obrey and Megan Jones are averaging 7.3 and seven points per game, respectively. Megan Jones (6.3) and Ella Berge (6.0) are the leaders for the Sharks in rebounding while Leslie Mojica leads HPU with six assists on the young season. Mojica leads HPU with six steals while Jones already has 11 blocks on the season. HPU is averaging 30 percent from the floor, 22 percent from three-point range, and 75.3 percent from the free throw line. The Sharks are sweeping the boards, averaging 38 rebounds per game compared to their opponents 34, and are averaging 13.7 turnovers per game.
SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
MSUM is currently 0-3 on the season. They went 0-2 at the Regional Challenge in Claremore, Okla. to open the season. They first fell to Rogers State 84-74 before taking 10th-ranked Central Missouri to overtime before falling 63-57. On Tuesday they were north of the border taking on Simon Fraser in which the Red Leafs came out on top 83-70.
Natalie Jens is currently leading the dragons, averaging 19 points per game and is adding in 6.3 rebounds per game. Jens has also has added on five steals and a team-high 18 assists. Ashley Fritz is also averaging double-digits with 11.3 points per game and is second on the Dragons for rebounds at 8 per game, just behind Terryn Johnson with 8.3 per game. Fritz has also added six assists and six steals. Maya Metcalf is the other Dragon averaging double-figures at 10.5 points per game while also adding one rebound per game and adding one steal and one block so far this season. The Dragons are averaging 40.2 percent from the floor, 35.3 percent from three-point range, and 79.4 percent from the free throw line. The Dragons are also outrebounding their opponents 36.7 to 33.3 but are turning the ball over more with 17.3 turnovers per game.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will open Great Northwest Athletic Conference action the following weekend when they travel to the Western Oregon Wolves (3-2) in Monmouth, Ore. on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. They’ll head back to The Evergreen State for a matchup against the Saints of Saint Martin’s (1-3) on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. from Lacey.