TUCSON, Ariz. – Washington State women's basketball opened Pac-12 Conference play with a 81-70 victory over the University of Arizona at the McKale Center Saturday.

Senior guard Tia Presley scored a game-high 26 points and junior guard Lia Galdeira added 25 points to lead the Cougars to their first 10-2 start since 1989-90. Senior center Shalie Dheensaw led the defensive charge matching a career-high with five blocks (also doing so at Arizona in 2013) to go along with her eight points and game-high 11 rebounds. Junior guard Dawnyelle Awa scored nine points and dished out six assists while Galdeira added seven rebounds and a career-high seven assists.

Washington State, winners of six straight, blocked a season-high eight shots and shot nearly 48 percent from the floor including nine 3-pointers. Arizona (7-5, 0-1 Pac-12) shot 45 percent from the field and received 35 points from its bench led by freshman Charis Holloway's 20 points. The Cougars improved to 6-1 all-time when Galdeira and Presley both score 20 points as Galdeira notched her seventh 20-point effort and Presley reached the 20-point mark for the fifth time this season. Along the way, Galdeira passed Jazmine Perkins for seventh in WSU career scoring with 1,306 points.

Galdeira got things going with a three just seconds into the game and Presley followed with a jumper. Midway through the half, a 6-0 streak by the Cougars, all from Presley pushed the lead to 18-10.

The Wildcats countered with a 7-0 run to make it a one-point game but freshman forward Louise Brown knocked down a three from the left corner. Junior guard Taylor Edmondson added a three from the right wing and Awa got her baseline floater to fall, giving WSU an eight-point advantage at the 10:26 mark.

Washington State used an 8-0 run to take an 11-point lead as Galdeira hit a jumper and Dheensaw rattled one home from the baseline. Galdeira followed by hanging and hitting a runner in the lane before Presley battled for a rebound and went back up for a bucket for a 34-23 lead.

Arizona again came back with seven straight but Galdeira connected on her third three of the half to send the Cougars into the break up 37-30. WSU shot over 47 percent from the field and hit five 3-pointers while Arizona shot nearly 42 percent and received 18 points from its bench. Galdeira led all scorers with 13 points and Presley added 10 in the first 20 minutes.

Both teams traded baskets in the early minutes before Presley caught fire, hitting a three and added another basket before Edmondson knocked down a three for her own from the right corner. That kicked off a series for big runs by both teams.

Washington State countered an Arizona run with a 14-0 streak that proved to be the difference. Following baskets by Galdeira and Presley, Awa drained a three from straight away and Galdeira added a steal and layup. Awa then scored on a layup and Presley followed a Dheensaw free throw with a runner in the lane for a 68-48 advantage with 6:54 remaining.

The Wildcats answered with their own 14-0 run as the Cougars struggled to knock down shots during a three-minute stretch, allowing Arizona to get within six, 68-62 with 3:28 left on the clock. Washington State turned to its veterans who came up big in the final minutes as Galdeira drove lane and got her layup to fall as she was fouled, sinking the free throw to put WSU back up nine. Junior forward Mariah Cooks then scored on a nice post move from the left block before Presley provided a big blow to the Arizona comeback attempt as the senior sank a three from the right wing as the shot clock expired, putting the Cougars back up by double digits with just over a minute to go.

Galdeira and Awa each knocked down a couple free throws and the Cougars held on for an 81-70 victory.

The Cougars will wrap its Arizona road trip Monday, facing No. 22 Arizona State University at 7 p.m. (PT) on the Pac-12 Networks in Tempe.