Early Mistakes Too Much For Cougars In Vegas

Wednesday, December 19

Las Vegas, NV

2:30 PM

Washington State University

Kansas

Washington State

Photo by: Jim Crawford

December 19, 2018 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

WSU fell 71-63 to Kansas in teh first game of the Duel in the Desert.

By: Athletic Communications

In Case You Missed It ...
LAS VEGAS - After a 10 day layoff to finish the fall semester the time off showed as Washington State (4-6) fell behind early and could not make up the difference in a 71-63 loss to Kansas (8-1) Wednesday at the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas. The Cougars would fall behind by double-digits in the opening quarter of play as WSU's shots refused to fall. Despite giving up just 16 first quarter points, the Cougars could not take advantage as they missed their first 10 shots of the afternoon while turnovers stripped the team of extra chances to get themselves into the game. In the second, the Cougars would begin to find their offense behind the play of Alexys Swedlund and Borislava Hristova, who each sat most of the first with foul trouble, to close the gap to just four points midway through the period. The chance to make it a game would be for not as the Jayhawks closed the half with a 15-4 run to push the lead to 15 at the break. In the second half, WSU put together a handful of runs but were unable to get the stops they needed allowing Kansas to hold onto a double-digit lead until the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

Coach Ethridge Quote of the Game
"I think one team came out and played confidently and is 8-1 and one team was fragile and didn't want to fight. I continue to say it, until we find the competitiveness that really wants to go and play and compete, when the games hard, when its a physical team that doesn't allow you to catch it, if you are not willing to fight for space on the floor and to catch the ball and give us a chance we are going to be in trouble."

Moments of the Game

HIGHLIGHT | Kostourkova with the layup to get the Cougs their first FG of the day#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/GJO4aDHr6Q
— WSU Women's Hoops (@WSUWomensHoops) December 19, 2018

HIGHLIGHT | Swedlund with the first 3 of the day for the Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/uZOH83dGPD
— WSU Women's Hoops (@WSUWomensHoops) December 19, 2018

HIGHLIGHT | What a tip in for Chanelle, and the foul to boot #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/xwxFFtALMn
— WSU Women's Hoops (@WSUWomensHoops) December 20, 2018

HIGHLIGHT | Can't stop the spin move #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/BjuDq1zljS
— WSU Women's Hoops (@WSUWomensHoops) December 20, 2018

Things You Need To Know

WSU fell into the consolation game at the Duel in the Desert where it will play the loser of the Northwestern/Wichita State game at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20. The game will close out nonconference play for WSU which will begin Pac-12 play Dec. 30 at Washington.
Borislava Hristova scored 18 points to post her 10th-consecutive double-digit scoring effort of the year. She added six rebounds.
Chanelle Molina shook off a slow start to lead WSU in scoring with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting. All four upperclassmen in the starting lineup scored in double-figures and accounted for 58 of WSU's 63 points. Molina also added four rebounds and three steals.
Maria Kostourkova posted her second double-double of the year with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds while Alexys Swedlund finished her day with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. The senior guard also grabbed a pair of steals.
The Jayhawks put three in double-figures with Jessica Washington scoring a team-best 15 points. Austin Richardson and Kylee Kopatich each chipped in 13. As a team Kansas finished the game shooting 55.8% while WSU finished at 44.1% despite going just 2-for-13 in the first quarter.
The Cougars outrebounded the Jayhaks 34-to-29 including grabbing 14 offensive rebounds. However, 22 WSU turnovers turned into 26 points for KU.