ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Three players reached double figures in scoring but Simon Fraser University lost 82-69 to Central Washington University in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action Thursday at Nicholson Pavilion.
WATCH MEN'S BASKETBALL SIZZLE VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9ynTyjhyLQSimon Fraser hung with the Wildcats for most of the game, staying within six points, 42-36, at the half and for most of the second half. Simon Fraser was down by seven, 65-58, with less than seven minutes to play when CWU went on a 12-3 run over a four minute span to pull away for good.
Simon Fraser was led by senior
Michael Harper with a game-high 26 points on 11-of-22 shooting. He also contributed six rebounds and five steals. Harper is 16
th in the GNAC in scoring and has scored 20-plus points three times this season.
Also hitting for double figures was
JJ Pankratz with 15 points and eight rebounds and point guard
Oshea Gairey with 12 points and six assists.
Dating back to 1967 the Wildcats hold a 48-14 series record over SFU, including a 28-2 record at home. The last time CWU lost to SFU at home was in 1997.
Central Washington moves to 11-3 overall and 6-3 in the GNAC with the win. SFU fell to 1-14 and is winless in nine conference games. Three losses this season have been by seven points or less.
The Wildcats bench outscored the Clan 37-7, while CWU also earned a huge edge at the free throw line, making 17 of 23 (.739) to SFU's 8 of 10 (.800).
SFU shot 40.9 percent (27-for-66) from the field while CWU was 28-of-57 (49.1%).
Central Washington freshman Naim Ladd scored a career-high 19 points, making 4 of 5 shots from three-point range. Ladd also hauled down eight boards, five of which came on the offensive end.
The Wildcats and Clan played a non-conference game earlier this season and CWU defeated the Clan 94-82.
Next up, SFU is on the road for a game against Northwest Nazarene on Saturday in Nampa, Idaho. Tip-off is 6PM (PT).
Follow the SFU Clan men's basketball team on the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/SFU_MBB.
--@SFUClan--
