BILLINGS, Mont.  – Central Washington dominated MSU Billings on all fronts as the visiting Wildcats handed MSU Billings a 75-54, loss in Alterowitz on Thursday.
 
Central Washington was all over the floor, outscoring MSUB by 11 in the first half, and 10 in the second half for the 21-point victory over the Yellowjackets.
 
MSUB's Kayleen Goggins was the game's high-scorer, finishing with 18 points.
 
Five players from Central Washington University put up points in the double figures. Point guard Jasmin Edwards had a team-high 16 points with three rebounds, and a game-high seven assists.
 
This is the fourth-consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference loss for MSU Billings which now drops to 9-7, 1-5 GNAC on the season. Central Washington moves to 9-6 on the year, 4-3 in conference play.
 
No one wanted the ball in the beginning. Both teams turned it over before Goggins scored the first points of the game, a 3-point shot off a feed from Alisha Breen. CWU's Jasmine Parker made the first points for CWU on a lay-up. Breen scored the next two baskets of the game, on a jumper and a fast break lay-up after a steal by Annie DePuydt to give MSUB a 5-2 opening lead.
 
The Wildcats responded with a 6-0 run capped off by a lay-up from India Matheson. The run gave Central Washington the lead at 8-7, with 14:50 left in the first half. That would be the one and only lead change of the game. Central Washington used another rally of 16-7 in the middle of the first half to take a double-digit 25-15 lead over the Yellowjackets.
 
Into the break, DePuydt hit a jumper at the buzzer, but Central Washington took a 36-25 advantage into halftime.
 
"Central Washington played very hard and dominated us tonight," MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said. "I thought Jeff (Harada) and their staff did a great job of preparing their team for this game. They really took it to us on both ends.

"Earlier in the season, rebounding and free-throw shooting were two of our strengths," Woodin continued. "Over the past few games, we have not been very good in these areas. We also struggled with our interior defense tonight as well." 
 
The Wildcats didn't let up in the second half. CWU opened the game up with a 12-5 run in the first five minutes of the second half to increase its lead by 18, 50-32.
 
MSU Billings worked its way into the game in the waning minutes, drawing the lead back down to 12 after another jumper from DePuydt with 5:01 left. Goggins hit two lay-ups, and Breen one, finishing with the shot from DePuydt to make the score 60-48.
 
The Wildcats used the last five minutes to their advantage though, putting together a big 15-4 rally to end the game.
 
Central Washington shot 28-52 for 53.8 percent in the game. MSU Billings was 22-55 and a steady 40.0 percent in both halves.
 
The Wildcats had more rebounds, 34-20, and were better from the free-throw line making 15-20 for 75.0 percent, to the Yellowjackets' 6-11 and 54.5 percent.
 
"Kayleen Goggins continues to give us an inside presence on offense," Coach Woodin commented. "Also, Marissa Van Atta gave us some very good minutes off the bench. If she can continue to do that each game, it will sure give our team a needed boost."
 
Goggins had 11 of her 18 total points in the second half. Van Atta came off the bench to add in seven total points, five in the second half. Breen had nine points in the game, while Quinn Peoples was 3-4, 2-3 from 3-point territory and had eight total points. DePuydt also finished with eight points in the game.  
 
"As a team however, we struggled from both the 3-point line and the foul line," Woodin said on the team's overall play. "Some of this was due to their good defense, but we are missing several shots that we normally make."
 
From the 3-point arc, MSUB shot only 4-15 for 26.7 percent, although the Wildcats were only a little better making 4-12 for 25.0 percent of their shots.
 
Despite the defense from Central Washington, MSUB was able to limit its turnovers to just nine. CWU committed 12. Central Washington was more productive in the paint, 40-30, and recieved more points from its bench, 21-11.
 
UP NEXT: MSU Billings hosts Northwest Nazarene this Saturday, Jan. 17, again the early game of a double-header with the MSUB men's team. Tip-off for the women's game is 5:15 p.m. Live stats/video will also be available at msubsports.com.
 
"We have a very important game on Saturday," Coach Woodin said. "I know we have the ability to overcome this slump, but it will take a lot of energy and hard work from everyone on our team to get it done."
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Next week the Yellowjackets have two GNAC games on the road. First, MSUB is in Lacey, Wash., for the team's first look at Saint Martin's on Thursday, Jan. 22. On Saturday, Jan. 24, MSU Billings is at Western Oregon for the ROOT Sports game of the week. ROOT Sports will be broadcasting the game live, and fans will have an opportunity to follow the action on the ROOT Sports network channel. In Billings, the MSUB Alumni Association will be hosting a watch party at Hooligans downtown. The game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start. Pizza will be provided. To RSVP for the watch party please contact the MSU Billings Alumni Association by either calling 406-247-5780 or emailing sbrockel@msubillings.edu.