DENVER – The Central Washington women's basketball team suffered their first loss on the young season after falling to the 21
st nationally ranked Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (3-1) Friday afternoon 72-53 in the first game of the Regis Thanksgiving Classic.
QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON-THORNLEY
"Tonight, was a great game for us and one that we needed to grow. Mines is an experienced and competitive team who played with a physicality we have not yet seen. They dictated the pace for 40 minutes and credit them for their efforts. You never like leaving a gym feeling that way about a game and our effort standpoint, but we will be better from it moving forward."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Wildcats had an unusual slow start to the game seeing Mines go out 9-0 early in the contest forcing the 'Cats to take a timeout. Following the timeout Valerie "Sunshine" Huerta converted a jumper to get the crimson and black on the board. CWU would see Sunshine post up another jumper to make it an 11-4 game in favor of Mines. However, Mines would respond with another 9-0 run before Sunshine converted the first three-pointer of the game for the 'Cats making it a 20-7 game with just over two minutes left in the quarter. Asher Cai would nail a jumper to end the quarter as the 'Cats had some work to do down 25-9.
CWU came into the second quarter looking to claw their way back into the contest. Sunshine would convert another three-pointer before Cai converted a jumper and Ashley Schow made off with an and-one layup to bring the 'Cats within 10 points 27-17 with seven and a half minutes left. Unfortunately, Mines had different plans finishing the first half on a 19-4 run to put the Orediggers up 46-21 at half.
The 'Cats and Orediggers spent the third quarter swapping basket for basket, but the crimson and black inched closer to a comeback thanks to a combination of threes by Huerta and Cai,
Samantha Bowman's defense, and the boost from the bench in the form of
Claire Heitschmidt. By the end of the third the 'Cats clawed their way to a 60-39 score.
CWU started the fourth quarter off hot as back-to-back threes by Huerta and
Tori Maeda made the score 60-45 in favor of Mines. However, anytime CWU would go on a run of any sort Mines would put a stop to it and slowly increase their lead before another CWU run. Unfortunately, the 'Cats ran out of time for the comeback handing them their first setback of the season.
The 'Cats finished 38 percent shooting from the floor and 37.5 percent shooting for three's and finished with 35 rebounds, 11 assists, one block, and five steals one of which was Riley Johnson's first of her collegiate career.
UP NEXT
The 'Cats will look to get back on track when they play the hosting Regis Rangers (3-2) tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the Regis Field House.