BURNABY, BC – Senior forward Erin Chambers scored 25 points to lift the Simon Fraser University Clan to an 84-50 win over Central Washington Wildcats, ending their longest losing streak in five years Thursday in the West Gym.
 
Simon Fraser raced out to a 40-25 halftime lead, extended it to 30 points, 71-41, with seven minutes left and never looked back. The Clan made a GNAC season-high 16 three-pointers, falling one short of equaling the conference record.
 
Watch the game in HD On-Demand here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWd0edDeitw
 
"People are hitting shots unbelievably in practice and I told them to take that confidence into the game," said Clan head coach Bruce Langford. "We talked about moving the ball better to draw defenders out and then kick the ball to open shooters. When we do that we can hit shots."
 
The Clan, which averages a GNAC-leading 8.4 three-pointers a game, was 16-of-23 from beyond the arc (69.6%).
 
The Wildcats have given up 70 or more points just three times this season, and have been holding opponents to under 60-points per game.
 
Chambers (Mission, BC), who entered the game as the nation's leading scorer averaging 22.9 points per contest, scored 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting, picking up 16 second half points. She currently sits in third place among the GNAC all-time scoring leaders and is within striking distance (81 points) of the GNAC record with six games remaining.
 
Simon Fraser out-scored the visitors 44-25 in the second half, holding off any CWU runs with a physical, determined effort. The Clan out-rebounded the Wildcats 39-22 and had seven offensive rebounds which led to 13 second-chance points. Central Washington grabbed both of its offensive rebounds in the final minute.
 
"I thought the best thing tonight was our defence," said Langford. "We worked on our defence in practice and we did an outstanding job of closing down the lanes, blocking out and all of the little things that go into winning."
 
SFU held Central Washington to 14 points in the paint and did not allow the Wildcats any second chance points. The Clan held the Wildcats to 36% shooting.
 
Simon Fraser was led at both ends of the court by junior forward Meg Wilson (London, ON) with 13 points and 14 rebounds, including six offensive boards. Senior guard Katie Lowen scored all 10 of her 13 points in the first half.
 
With the win Simon Fraser improves to 7-5 in the GNAC, 11-9 overall, and moves into sole possession of fourth place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference behind third-place Western Washington and one win up on CWU, 6-6 (11-9 overall). The top six teams receive a berth in the conference tournament.
 
Next up for the Clan is an afternoon game against Northwest Nazarene on Saturday that begins at 1:00 PM in the West Gym.