PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State women's basketball team is set to host its first Pac-12 Conference home game of the season this Friday, Dec. 30, as the Cougars take on No. 11-ranked Utah. Tip-off from Beasley Coliseum is set for 4 p.m. PT and will air live on Pac-12 Network Washington.
WASHINGTON STATE (10-2, 0-1 Pac-12) vs. Utah (12-0, 1-0 Pac-12) | Friday, Dec. 30, 2022 | 4:00 p.m. PT | Beasley Coliseum
Live Stats | Click Here
Watch | Pac-12 Network Washington (Greg Heister and Stephaine Freeman)
Listen | Click Here (Steve Grubbs)
Game Notes | Click Here
Starting Five
>> Washington State heads into its matchup against No. 11 Utah on a three-game winning streak that has the Cougars sporting a 10-2 overall record. WSU is currently 0-1 in Pac-12 games this season, having dropped the Conference opener at Washington, 82-66, on Dec. 11.
>> WSU brings an eight-game home winning streak into Friday's contest against Utah. The streak, which is the longest winning streak for the Cougars inside Beasley Coliseum, dates back to the 2021-22 season.
>> Friday's matchup will be the 31st meeting between Washington State and Utah. The Utes currently lead the all-time series 21-9 and have won each of the last two meetings. WSU has won three of the last five meetings against Utah after sweeping three games against the Utes during the 2020-21 campaign.
>> The Cougars will be looking for their third-straight Pac-12 home opening win this Friday when WSU takes on No. 11 Utah. Washington State is 2-2 all-time in Conference home openers under Kamie Ethridge.
>> Friday's game against the No. 11-ranked Utes will mark the first game against a top-25 opponent for Washington State this season. The Cougars have picked up four wins against top-25 teams over the last two seasons, all of which have come inside Beasley Coliseum. The most recent WSU win over a ranked team came back on Feb. 20, 2022, when the Cougs defeated No. 8/7 Arizona, 72-67.
Game Coverage
Fans can watch all the action between the Cougars and the Utes on Pac-12 Network Washington. Friday's game will also air locally on the radio at 1150 AM and at WSUCougars.com.
BOGO Tickets
Fans that buy a general admission ticket to Friday's game against Utah will get a free GA ticket to Sunday's game against Colorado. Click here to buy tickets.
Leading the Pac
Junior Charlisse Leger-Walker enters the weekend as Pac-12's leading scorer at 21.5 points per game. Leger-Walker's 253 points scored this season also leads the Pac-12.
Lending a Hand
Washington State ranks 47th in the nation in assists per game at 16.4. Charlisse Leger-Walker's 4.6 assists per game are the 59th-most in NCAA Division I.
Knocking Shots from Deep
The Cougars are averaging 7.7 3-point makes per game this season. That average is the 64th-best in the country. Junior Charlisse Leger-Walker's 3.0 3-pointers per game ranks 15th in NCAA Division I. Washington State has made at least one 3-point field goal in each of its last 75 games.
Scouting the Utes
Utah comes into Beasley Coliseum as one of the hottest teams in the nation, as the Utes are a perfect 12-0 on the year. Utah came in at No. 11 in both the Associated Press and USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll, which is the highest ranking in program history.
Junior Alissa Pili, a transfer from Southern Cal, has been key to the Utes this season, as she leads the team in both scoring (20.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg). Pili is one of four double-digit scorers for Utah. Sophomore Gianna Kneepkens is putting up 14.4 points per game, Jenna Johnson follows 12.4 points per game and Kennedy McQueen rounds out the quartet at 10.5 points per contest.
Utah leads the Pac-12 in scoring at 92.5 points per contest. The Utes are shooting a blistering 52.4 percent from the floor and 35 percent from behind the arc. Teams are putting up 57.9 points per contest against Utah while posting a 36.3 shooting percentage.
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