CWU women’s basketball added two more wins to their record last week against the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Nanooks.

CWU (15-5) started their Alaska road trip on Wednesday, Feb. 2 with a 67-52 win against UAF (2-15). This game was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 but had to be postponed due to COVID-19 issues. CWU was out-rebounded by the Nanooks, but was able to capitalize on UAF’s lack of offensive production to take the win.

Senior forward Kassidy Malcolm led CWU with 24 points. She shot 9 for 20 from the field including 3-4 from the three point line. Malcolm was also a perfect 9-9 on free-throws. Senior guard Kizzah Maltezo was second in points for CWU with 15, and junior center Samantha Bowman helped CWU with 14 points and 19 rebounds. Bowman leads the nation in the NCAA Division II in rebounds per game with 15.9.

As a team, CWU shot 30.6% (19-62) from the field and 28% (7-25) from three-point range. Defensively, CWU allowed the Nanooks to convert on only 29.5% (23-78) of their shot attempts and 15% (3-20) from behind the three-point arc. 

CWU returned to Patty Center in Fairbanks the next day, Feb. 3, to play UAF again, winning 80-67. Malcolm led the offense early on in the game, scoring 19 of the Wildcats’ 25 points in the first quarter. CWU led by only three points at the end of the first half but was able to pull away in the second half.

Malcolm ended up as the points leader for the Wildcats, scoring a career-high 30 points, shooting an efficient 11-16 from the field and 2-3 from three point range. In addition to leading the team in rebounds again with 19, Bowman was second in scoring for the Wildcats with 22 points on 9-21 shooting.

CWU shot more efficiently than the previous day with 46.9% (30-64) from the field and 31.8% (7-22) on three-pointers. Defensively, CWU allowed UAF to shoot 45% (27-60) from the field and 31.6% (6-19) from three point range.

With the pair of wins, CWU reached a ten game win streak which is the longest win streak for the Wildcats during their time in the NCAA Division II. 

CWU returns home to Nicholson Pavilion to play Simon Fraser University on Feb. 10.