PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State suffered a 87-70 defeat to No. 23/22 University of California at Beasley Coliseum Sunday.
Junior guard Tia Presley led the Cougars (12-12, 6-6 Pac-12) with 20 points, her ninth 20-point game of the season. Washington State shot 50 percent in the first half, owning a four-point lead at the break but was limited to 28 percent shooting in the second half and surrendered 46 points in the paint to California (16-7, 8-4, Pac-12).WSU received 13 points from sophomore guard Lia Galdeira and 11 from Taylor Edmondson who hit three 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Mariah Cooks recorded nine points and seven rebounds while senior guard Brandi Thomas added eight points.
Cal erased the halftime deficit with a 19-0 run late in the second half. The Golden Bears shot over 51 percent in the second half and finished the game with a 55-27 rebounding advantage and 24-of-33 at the free throw line.
California used an 8-0 run to build a nine-point advantage midway through the first half before a 12-3 WSU run knotted the game at 21 with 7:54 remaining. Presley scored seven points during stretch before Galdeira tied things up with a layup. Washington State later used a 10-2 streak, highlighted by an Edmondson three, to take a 31-25 lead at the 4:24 mark.
Edmondson later hit another three from the left wing and the Cougars took a 41-37 advantage into the break. WSU shot 50 percent from the field but the Golden Bears stayed within striking distance by owning a 24-14 advantage in points in the paint. Presley and Edmondson both had nine points.
Washington State opened the second half with a Presley three and four points from Cooks to own a 50-42 lead.
California began to chip away and eventually evened thing up at 55 at the 11:01 mark following a 11-3 run.
Cooks knocked a pair of free throws to end the run but the Golden Bears erupted for a 19-0 run over a four minute stretch, taking advantage of its size advantage in the low post to own a double-digit lead as the WSU shooting cooled off after a hot first half.
Washington State will hit the road for a pair of Pac-12 contests next weekend, facing the University of Utah in Salt Lake City Friday and the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo. Sunday.
