Thursday, March 5, 2020

SEATTLE – The go-to players shined as a second-half effort propelled Central Washington to a quarterfinals win at Seattle Pacific’s Royal Brougham Pavilion.

The fifth-seeded Wildcats topped fourth-seeded Simon Fraser 76-60 to extend their win streak to five games and advance to the semifinals. Both teams finished the regular season tied for fourth place with 13-7 conference marks but Simon Fraser earned the No. 4 seed on a tiebreaker.

Holding Simon Fraser to just seven points in the first quarter, the Wildcats outscored the Clan 34-28 in the first half to gain an early lead. The Wildcats came out of the half and erupted for 42 points, finishing the game connecting on 48.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three-point range and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Five Wildcats scored in double digits in the 16-point rout. Honorable mention senior forward Kaelie Flores led all scorers with 15 points to go with five rebounds, three assists and a block. She connected on 75 percent from the field, was a perfect 2 for 2 from the free throw line and made her only three-pointer of the night.

Senior guard Taylor Shaw was lethal from beyond the arc, shooting 5 of 7 from the floor, including four from outside. Shaw scored 14 points and added a rebound and an assist in the win.

Senior guard Alexis Pana and junior forward Kassidy Malcolm scored 13 points apiece. A First Team All-GNAC selection, Pana did most of her damage in the second half, nailing 4 of 7 from the field and 2 of 5 from long range. She also contributed six rebounds, two assists and a steal in the game. Malcolm shot 50 percent from the field while grabbing seven rebounds and set the tone in the first half with seven points.

The Wildcats limited the Clan to just 31.3 percent from the field and stopped the three-point threat, which was the Clan’s bread and butter entering the tournament.

Junior guard and first-teamer Jessica Jones connected on just three shots from the floor but still just missed a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds to go with three assists and a steal. Senior point guard Tayler Drynan, an honorable mention for the second time in 2019-20, also scored 11 points to go with five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Junior forward and GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Ozioma Nwabuko exited the game late in the second quarter with an injury and then returned in the fourth quarter to finish the game with 10 points, five rebounds and two steals. This is her second straight season earning the Defensive Player of the Year award.

With the win, Central Washington improved to 19-10 overall and will take on regular-season champion and top-seeded Alaska Anchorage in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The Wildcats enter the game winners of eight of their last 10 games while the Seawolves are riding an 11-game win streak.