The Basics

• Final score: Central Washington 77, Western Oregon 64
• Records: Western Oregon 6-10, 2-7 GNAC; Central Washington 7-10, 2-7 GNAC
• Western Oregon dropped third straight during longest road trip in the GNAC
• Location: Ellensburg, Wash. – Nicholson Pavilion

How It Happened
The Western Oregon women's basketball team suffered its third consecutive loss in league play, dropping a game 77-64 to Central Washington in Ellensburg.
 
The defeat dropped the Wolves to the lower half of the GNAC standing with a 2-7 conference mark and 6-10 record overall.
 
Central Washington hit their first two shots for a 4-0 advantage and never trailed in the game. Shelby Snook tied the game at 6-6 with a jump shot while a later layup got the Wolves within one (14-13). The Wildcats closed the first quarter on a 6-2 run to lead 20-15.
 
A 7-2 spurt in the early minutes of the second quarter extended the CWU lead to 10 points at the 7:43 mark. The double-digit advantage held for until the final 90 seconds of the period on a 3-pointer from Snook. Two late free throws from Kennedy Corrigan put the halftime score at 42-31.
 
The teams went back and forth early in the third period before the Wolves used a 14-6 run to pull within four. Sydney Azorr began the rally with a lay-in that was followed on the next possession by another deep make from Snook. Jasmine Miller made plays on both ends of the court with an assist on an Ali Nelke layup, a block of a jumper on defense, and a short bank shot. Azorr capped off the rally with a 3-pointer to make the score 50-46.
 
Central Washington stretched the lead back to 10 with 11 minutes left in regulation and built their largest advantage midway through the fourth quarter at 16 points (71-55). A Snook free throw got the Wolves within 10 with 1:54 to go, however, the Wildcats took the victory scoring the last four points.
 
Wolves' Top Performers

• Shelby Snook led Western Oregon with 19 points (7-17 FG, 3-9 3FG), five assists and four rebounds.
• Sydney Azorr hit four of six shots from 3-point land to finish with 16 points and a team-best eight rebounds.
• Jasmine Miller added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes

 
For the Wildcats

• Sadie Mensing led four CWU players in double figures with 19 points. She added four assists and three rebounds.
• Post-player Taylor Baird went 9-of-15 from the field for 18 points adding seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.
• Kortney Grattic had a double-double (10/10) in 26 minutes off the bench.

 
Stats of the Game

• The game was won in the paint as Central Washington had a 50-28 advantage close to the basket.
• Western Oregon was able to force 12 turnovers, but scored just nine points off those CWU giveaways.
• The Wolves went 24-of-58 from the floor in the game (41.4 percent) and 7-of-18 from 3-point land (38.9 percent).
• Each team had nine offensive rebounds. CWU won the overall battle of the boards, 39-30.

 
Coach Quotes
WOU head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter after the loss:

• "I'm disappointed in our 1st half, especially in our defense.  We allowed too many direct drives and missed on the help side.  They got some easy baskets in transition as well and we weren't able to string enough baskets together to make a run."
• "We were able to cut it to four (points) late in the third, but some costly turnovers and some big baskets for them pushed it back to 10.  We just have to be tougher from start to finish, period."
• "Central's bench was the difference in that game; they came in and gave them a huge lift when they needed it."
• "Jasmine and Sydney had a great second half which helped us close the gap. We need that from the start, from everyone in order to be in games earlier.  We can't wait until we're down to start playing."

 
Up Next
The road trip concludes with a Saturday afternoon matinee with Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 21. Tip time is at 2 p.m. Mountain, 1 p.m. Pacific.