PULLMAN, Wash – The Washington State University women's basketball team is set to open Pac-12 Conference play this Sunday, Dec. 29, against in-state rival Washington. Tip-off from Beasley Coliseum for the first of Boeing Apple Cup Series games this season is set for 2 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network Washington.
WASHINGTON STATE (7-5)
vs. Washington (8-3) | Sunday, Dec. 29 | 2 p.m. | Beasley Coliseum
Live Stats | WSUCougars.com
Watch | Pac-12 Network Washington (Greg Heister & Elise Woodward)
Listen | WSU IMG Radio Network (Steve Grubbs)
Tickets | WSUCougars.com
Game Notes | WSUCougars.com (PDF)
THE STARTING FIVE
-> The Cougars stand at 7-5 overall on the year as they enter Pac-12 play. The seven non-conference wins for Washington State under second year head coach Kamie Ethridge marks a two-win improvement over last season. WSU will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak against Pac-12 teams on Sunday.
-> The Cougs have won three of the last four meetings against the Huskies coming into Sunday's Boeing Apple Cup Series game. Washington State swept the two-game series with Washington last season with a 79-76 victory in Seattle on Dec. 30, 2018, followed by a 33-point thrashing of the Huskies in Pullman, 94-61, on Feb. 15, 2019. Despite the recent success, WSU still trails the all-time series against UW, 73-23.
-> Washington State has enjoyed a high-level of success inside Beasley Coliseum this season, as they stand at 5-1 heading into Sunday. The Cougars are averaging 78.5 points per game through six home competitions, which is 9.5 points higher than their season average of 69.0 points per contest. The lone loss came to No. 17/18-ranked Gonzaga,76-53, back on Dec. 8.
-> WSU enters Sunday's game against the Huskies seeking a winning record for the second-straight month. Washington State currently stands at 3-2 in December, which followed a 4-3 mark through seven November games.
-> The Cougars stand at 4-6 in Pac-12 Conference openers over the past 10 seasons. WSU collected a 79-76 win over Washington in last season's Pac-12 opener to snap a three-game losing streak in conference openers. Last season Washington State went just 4-14 last season in the Pac-12.
LAST TIME OUT
Washington State closed out the non-conference with a 74-68 loss at Miami (Fla.) in a tightly-contested affair that featured eight lead changes and three ties. Senior Borislava Hristova paced a quartet of double-digit scorers for the Cougs with 21 points, while senior Chanelle Molina collected her second career double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds against the Hurricanes.
CLOSING IN ON THE SCORING RECORD
Redshirt senior Borislava Hristova enters Sunday's contest against the Huskies within striking distance of Washington State's all-time scoring record. The Varna, Bulgaria native needs just 39 points to break Jeanne Eggart's (1977-82) program record of 1,967 points. The forward set her career high in points against Washington last season with a 38-point performance in Seattle back on Dec. 30, 2018.
KNOCKING 'EM DOWN
Washington State has been hitting shots at a high rate from both the floor and free throw line in 2019-20. The Cougs rank 52nd in NCAA Division I in both field goal (44.3%) and free throw (74.2%) percentages.
ADDING ON THE MILES
Seniors Chanelle Molina and Borislava Hristova rank first and second in the Pac-12 in minutes played this season. Molina leads the conference with 422:24 minutes played, while Hristova's 387:38 is second-highest. Molina's 35.2 minutes played per game is also the high-mark in the Pac-12 this season.
#BOBIBUCKETS LEADING THE WAY
Redshirt senior Borislava Hristova is putting on a cap to a remarkable career as a Cougar this season. The forward is currently first in the Pac-12 in total points (230), field goals made (95) and field goals attempted (204). She ranks inside the top-10 nationally in field goals made (4th) and field goals attempted (7th).
Hristova is currently riding a six-game double-digit scoring streaks, which has helped her to a 19.2 points per game average this season. Her points per game total is third-highest in the Pac-12, and puts her at 26th nationally.
FIRE POWER OFF THE BENCH
Redshirt junior Jovana Subasic has begun her 2019-20 on an offensive tear, as the Sabac, Serbia native is averaging a team-best 9.9 points per game off the bench. The forward comes into Sunday's game on a five-game double-digit scoring streak, which includes a career-high 19-point performance against UC Irvine during the Cougar's last home game.
CLOSING IN ON 100 WINS FOR COACH E
Head coach Kamie Ethridge is closing in on 100 career wins as a collegiate head coach, as she is just one win away from accomplishing the feat.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
Washington enters Sunday's Boeing Apple Cup Series game at 8-3 on the year, but are just 2-2 during the month of December. The Huskies are coming off a 76-74 overtime loss to Vanderbilt at home.
Amber Melgoza and Haley Van Dyke are the lone double-digit scorers for UW. Melgoza averages a team-best 13.2 points per game, while Van Dyke is scoring 10.5 points off the bench through 11 games. As a team, the Huskies average 71.5 points per game with a 39.1% success rate from the floor.
Defensively, the UW is limiting the opposition to 54.0 points per game on a 34.5% shooting percentage. Washington's pressure defense has allowed them to an average of 23.8 turnovers forced per game.
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