ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Jan. 2) – Central Washington University seniors Joseph Stroud and Gary Jacobs combined to score 48 points for the men's basketball team as they defeated Concordia University (Ore.) 85-80 to improve to 7-2 on the season and even their Great Northwest Athletic Conference record to 2-2.
 
The Wildcats were without head coach Greg Sparling, who was sidelined from the contest, and assistant coach Drew Harris stepped up in his absence.
 
"Coach Sparling has always put a lot of confidence in me and getting me prepared for a situation like this," Harris said.  "I'm am excited for many reasons, but mainly because our guys pulled out a tough victory.  Anytime you beat the No. 3 team in the country there can be a hangover affect that makes it difficult to get fired up for the next game.  Our guys brought a lot of energy and defense and did not let our effort be the factor of the game."
 
Stroud led the Wildcats with a career-high 26 points making 11 of 14 shots and was a perfect 4 of 4 from the charity stripe.  Jacobs added 22 points and made all but one of his 11 shot attempts in the game.
 
"Our goal was to try and get to the paint and get easy baskets," Harris said about the team's offensive strategy.  "We knew we could get out and score in transition but our focus was to get the ball to the rim.  Stroud did a great job posting up and taking high percentage shots, and Gary bounced back from a rough game last Thursday.  Both players are great athletes and it showed tonight."
 
 
Central Washington shot a scorching 50-percent from the field despite a 31.3-percent mark from three-point territory.  The hot shooting night was due in large part to the 52 points CWU scored in the paint, with the majority coming off the hands of Stroud.
 
 
In the first half the Wildcats raced to a 44-38 lead connecting on 60-percent of their shots.  Despite the hot shooting of the Wildcats the Cavaliers kept things close thanks to a 21-point first half performance from Latrell Wilson, who finished with a game high 34 points.
 
The Wildcats built a 10-point lead early in the second half off back-to-back buckets from Jacobs, followed by an alley-oop dunk by Stroud off an assist by Devin Matthews.   Matthews finished the game with a game-high seven assists to go along with his five points and six rebounds.
 
Central Washing led by as many as 15 points in the second half before Concordia chipped away at the CWU advantage late in the contest, but was unable to fend off the Wildcats.
 
Terry Dawn added 11 points, nine of which came from behind the arc, and Jerome Bryant added eight points and six rebounds off the bench.
 
"Jerome had a huge game for us tonight and we know he has that in him," Harris added about the sophomore forward.  "Not having Drake Rademacher tonight made us a little thin in the front court but Jerome went in there and did everything we asked of him."
 
The Wildcats will look to continue its winning streak as they head to Northwest Nazarene on Tuesday, Jan. 5 followed by a home game against Montana State Billings on Saturday Jan. 9.