MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University women's basketball team stayed right with one of the top teams in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in Central Washington through the first half on Thursday. In the second half, the Wildcats outscored the Wolves by 15 over the final 20 minutes to claim the 66-46 GNAC win inside New PE Gym. Thursday night's game was also a Black History Month Game sponsored by the WOU Black Student Union.
It was a battle throughout the first half with neither team able to pull away. Alexis Wright opened the scoring 46 seconds in off of an offensive rebound. Central Washington (17-6, 10-4 GNAC) answered with a three-point-play to take their first lead of the game.
Down by one, Cali McClave hit a three-pointer and then Meadow Aragon added a layup off of an offensive rebound to push the lead out to 9-5 near the midway point of the first quarter. After Central Washington tied the game at nine, WOU (8-13, 4-10 GNAC) went back up three with a triple by Tresai McCarver.
The Wildcats closed the first quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 16-14 lead into the second quarter.
Ana McClave began the second quarter with a layup 32 seconds in for the Wolves. Following an answer by the Wildcats, the teams would go nearly three minutes before the next points were scored. Samantha Bowman's layup ended the scoreless stretch near the midway point of the second quarter for a 22-19 lead for CWU.
WOU got the lead back down to one before CWU held a 29-24 lead at halftime.
The Wildcats ripped off the first six points of the second half to jump their lead into double-digits. Makenna Gambee provided a spark off the bench hitting a pair of jumpers and also took a charge during the stretch.
After another layup by Gambee kept the deficit at seven, Central Washington scored the next six points and eventually pushed the lead to 47-32 entering the final frame.
A Kaelin Williams-Kennedy three-pointer just over a minute into the fourth quarter had the CWU lead back down to 14, but that would be as close as WOU would get the rest of the way. The Wolves made a late push before the Wildcats connected on a pair of three-pointers to provide the final margin of 66-46.
Aragon led the Wolves with 12 points, along with four rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. McCarver tallied seven points, while Princy Paaluhi-Caulk and Gambee added six points apiece. Wright led the team with six rebounds, Paaluhi-Caulk had four assists and a trio of Wolves tallied two steals in Paaluhi-Caulk, Ana McClave and Cali McClave. WOU went 20-64 (31.3) from the field, 5-23 (21.7) from three and 1-3 (33.3) at the foul line. The Wolves pulled in 17 rebounds which led to a 16-10 second chance points advantage. WOU also held a 23-7 edge in points off turnovers and 22-14 in bench points.
It was another big night for Bowman who led Central Washington and all players with 24 points and 14 rebounds. She also added four steals and went 11-14 from the field. Kizzah Maltezo added 12 points and Kassidy Malcolm with 11 points. The Wildcats went 28-50 (56) from the field, 6-15 (40) from three and 4-7 (57.1) at the foul line. CWU used a big 40-22 advantage on points in the paint.
WOU continues the homestand this Saturday when they will face Northwest Nazarene starting at 2 p.m. It will also be Senior Day for the four seniors in Amber Winkler, Kaelin Williams-Kennedy, Casandra White and Makenna Gambee.
