Game Book | Box Score

ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- Sophomore center Anna Schwecke scored a career-high 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while senior forward Hannah Stipanovich added 16 points with 9 rebounds but Central Washington University pulled ahead of the Vikings with just over a minute remaining en route to a 77-73 win inside Nicholson Pavilion Saturday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

WWU (7-11, 3-7 GNAC) and CWU (10-8, 6-4 GNAC) battled back and forth in a contest featuring 17 lead changes and 15 ties, with neither team able to extend a lead beyond five points. The Wildcats scored the final six points of the game, including a tie-breaking 3-pointer from guard Beverly Verduin with 1:13 left in the fourth quarter, to edge the Vikings.

The teams exchanged the lead six times over the final six minutes of the fourth quarter with freshman guard Emma Duff (Tumwater, WA/Black Hills) hitting a 3-pointer to give the Vikings a 71-69 advantage with 4:34 to play and redshirt freshman guard Gracie Castaneda (Arlington, WA) later breaking a tie with a drive to the basket at the 2:12 mark to put WWU up 73-71.

The Wildcats answered to tie the game on a pair of free throws with 1:51 to play and then took the lead for good on Verduin's long 3-pointer from near the top of the arc at the 1:13 mark. The Vikings missed a potential tying 3-pointer on the ensuing possession before forcing a CWU turnover with a shot clock violation on the other end to present another potential game-tying chance.

However, a WWU turnover during an inbound play with 14.7 seconds left returned possession to the Wildcats and guard Sadie Mensing made 1-of-2 free throws with 12.9 seconds left to give CWU a 77-73 lead. The Vikings turned the ball over following Mensing's free throw as the Wildcats held on for the victory.

The teams had been tied 16-16 after the first quarter with neither team able to extend a lead beyond four points in the period. Schwecke (Evergreen, CO/Colorado-Colorado Springs) had 6 points and 5 rebounds in the opening quarter with Stipanovich (St. Louis, MO/Metro State) adding 4 points and 4 rebounds.

The Vikings took their largest lead of the game with a 5-0 run to start the second quarter after a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Lexie Bland (Ellensburg, WA) and a jumper from Stipanovich. The Wildcats answered with a 5-0 spurt of their own to tie the game at 21-21. WWU held a slight lead for most of the quarter until CWU closed the period with a 8-2 run to lead 39-37 at halftime.

The Wildcats opened the third quarter on 4-1 run to lead 43-38 with 8:36 to go but WWU battled back to take its first lead of the period at 48-47 after a 3-point play from freshman forward Kelsey Rogers (Bothell, WA/Lynnwood) at the 5:16 mark. CWU answered with a 6-0 run to lead 53-48 on their way to a 55-52 lead after three quarters.

The Wildcats pushed their lead out to five points again early in the fourth quarter, with a 61-56 advantage and 8:26 left on the clock before the Vikings responded with a 7-2 run to tie the game 63-63 and set up the close finish.

Schwecke and Stipanovich were each 7-for-10 from the field in the game. Schwecke bettered her previous career high of 16 points with the effort, recording her fourth double-double of the season and adding 2 blocks and a steal as well.

Duff finished with 12 points for WWU, including 9 in the fourth quarter, while Rogers added 9 points and junior center Nikki Corbett (Camas, WA) contributed 8 points in 7 minutes of playing time. The three combined to give WWU 29 bench points, tied for the second-most bench points in a game for the Vikings during the season. Sophomore guard Dani Iwami (Seal Beach, CA/Hawai'i Pacific) dished out a career-high 9 assists to help guide the offense and tied for the game high with 3 steals.

WWU shot a season-best 52.6% from the field (30-for-57). The Vikings went 3-of-12 (25.0%) from long range and made 10-of-13 (76.9%) of their free throws.

The Wildcats had four players finish in double-figure scoring, led by Mensing with 18 points. Center Taylor Baird totaled 17 points and 8 rebounds while guard Jasmin Edwards had 14 points and 6 assists. Forwarded Kaelie Flores added 11 points and 8 rebounds off the bench for CWU.

CWU was 28-of-57 (49.1%) from the field, including 7-of-18 (38.9%) from 3-point range. The Wildcats made 14-of-23 (60.9%) from the free throw line.

WWU continues its stretch of four consecutive road games next week with a trip to Alaska. The Vikings oppose No. 4 Alaska Anchorage next Thursday (Jan. 25, 7:30 pm AKT/8:30 pm PT) before taking on Alaska Fairbanks next Saturday (Jan. 27, 5:15 pm AKT/6:15 pm PT). WWU is back on WECU Court in Carver Gym during early February, hosting Western Oregon (Feb. 1, 7 pm PT) and Concordia (Feb. 23, 7 pm PT) with all games streaming on GNAC.tv.

Game Notes: WWU shot a season-best 52.6% (30-for-57) for its third game shooting over 50.0% during 2017-18...previous season-best was 52.2% (35-for-67) against Texas A&M International on 12/18/17...Vikings lost for the first time when scoring 70+ points this season...Anna Schwecke had a career-best 17 points (previous career-high was 16 points vs. Texas A&M International on 12/18/17)...recorded team-leading fourth double-double of season with fifth double-figure rebounding game of season...Dani Iwami had a career-best 9 assists (previous career high was 6 assists vs. Texas A&M International on 12/18/17)...Vikings had 29 bench points, tied for second-most this season...also had 29 bench points at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and at Concordia (1/04/18)...Vikings had season-best 42 bench points in season opener against Fresno Pacific (11/10/17).