LAS VEGAS. Nev. --- Forward Shaina Afoa scored 11 points and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds. leading Central Washington University to a 58-48 victory over Dixie State College in first-day action Thursday in the women's division of the third annual Great Western Shootout basketball tournament being held at the Doolittle Community Center.

It was the second straight win and third victory in four games for Central. which improved to 3-7.  The Wildcats also got 14 points off the bench from Jenn Jacobs.

Dixie State. which fell to 4-5. did not have a player reach double-figure scoring.  Center BreAnne Haslam (Mountain Green. UT/Morgan) and reserve Courtney Spawn (Mesquite. NV/ Virgin Valley) each had nine points. and forward Tanya Clark (Beaumont. CA/Beaumont) brought down a team-high 13 rebounds.

Central led 43-42 with 7:30 to go. but Clark hit back-to-back jump shots to give Dixie State a 46-43 lead with 6:35 to go.

The Wildcats outscored Dixie State 15-2 from that point on with the go-ahead basket being a 3-pointer by Jacobs that put Central up 48-46 with 5:28 to go.

The first half saw each team lead three times along with three ties.  Central held the biggest advantage of five points. 9-4. six minutes into the game. and the Wildcats were ahead 27-23 at halftime.

Central led by seven points twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half. the biggest lead by either team until the final two minutes.

Dixie State shot just 25.0 percent (18-of-72) from the field. hitting 6-of-24 3-pointers. and converted only 6-of-12 free throws.

Central. which had a 54-42 edge in rebounds. shot 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the floor.

Dixie State meets host Western Washington at 1 p.m.