SEATTLE – The Washington State women's basketball team is set to start Pac-12 Conference play this Sunday, Dec. 11, as the Cougars head across the Evergreen State to take on the Washington Huskies. Tip-off for the first of two Boeing Apple Cup Series games this season is set for 2 p.m. PT and will air live on the Pac-12 Network Washington.
WASHINGTON STATE (7-1, 0-0 Pac-12) at Washington (7-1, 0-0 Pac-12) | Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022 | 2 p.m. | Alaska Airlines Arena
Live Stats | Click Here
Watch | Pac-12 Network Washington (Elise Woodward & Alyssa Charlston)
Listen | WSU Radio (Steve Grubbs)
Game Notes | Click Here
Starting Five
>> The Cougars head into Pac-12 play on a four-game winning streak and sporting a 7-1 overall record. Washington State collected a 69-63 win at Portland this past Wednesday to give WSU its first win over the Pilots since the 1985-86 season. The Cougars posted the largest comeback in program history against the Pilots, as Washington State erased a 19-point deficit to pick up a six-point win.
>> The Cougs and Huskies will be meeting for the 103rd time on the hardwood this Sunday in Seattle. Washington leads the all-time series 28-74 in a matchup that began during the 1971 season. Washington State has more recently dominated the rivalry, as the Cougars have won five-straight games over the Huskies. Wazzu has also won four-straight games against Washington inside the Alaska Airlines Arena dating back to the 2018-19 season.
>> Head Coach Kamie Ethridge has been a Husky tamer during her time at the helm of the Washington State women's basketball. The Cougars are 7-1 against Washington under Ethridge, while Washington State is a perfect 4-0 in Seattle.
>> Washington State will be seeking its third-straight win in a Pac-12 season opener. The Cougars have won each of their last two Conference openers, collecting a 69-42 win over California in Beasley Coliseum last season and a 60-52 win at Washington in 2020-21. WSU has won three-straight Pac-12 openers only once in program history, having won the season opener from 1992-1994. Including this season's game, WSU has played Washington in its Pac-10/12 season opener 13 times prior to Sunday's game. Washington State has won two of the last three Conference openers against the Huskies.
>> WSU has gotten off to another hot start this season and they look to tie a historic mark this Sunday in Seattle. Washington State heads into its matchup against Washington with a 7-1 record and a win would tie the 2022-23 squad with the 2015-16 and 1989-90 teams for the best start to a season in the NCAA era in program history. Washington State's best-ever start to a season is 10-0, which was set by the 1978-79 team.
Game Coverage
Sunday's game will air live on the Pac-12 Network Washington with Elise Woodward and Alyssa Charlston on the call. Fans can also live to Steve Grubbs call all the action on 1150 AM or on WSUCougars.com.
NET Ranking
Washington State heads into this weekend with a NET ranking of 46. The NET is an evaluation tool used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee to help select the Tournament's field. Last season, the Cougars ended the year with a NET ranking of 59.
Cardiac Cougs
Washington State posted its largest come-from-behind victory in program history this past Wednesday, as the Cougars came back from a 19-point deficit to defeat Portland, 69-63. The 19-point comeback best the previous record of 18 points, which came at Washington back on Jan. 9, 1993, when WSU defeated the Huskies, 75-72, in overtime. Three of the top five greatest comebacks in program history have occurred under head coach Kamie Ethridge.
WSU in Season Openers Under Coach Ethridge
WSU is 4-1 in Pac-12 season openers during the Ethridge era. The Cougars will open Pac-12 play at Washington for the third time under Coach Ethridge, with WSU winning both games.
Leger-Walker Moving Up WSU's All-Time Scoring List
Junior Charlisse Leger-Walker heads into Sunday's contest needing only 14 points to move past Darci Wellsandt (1989-93; 1,110 career points) for 16th on WSU's all-time scoring list.
Teder's Getting Hot
Senior Johanna Teder's 13-point outing in Wednesday's win at Portland extended the guards double-digit scoring streak to five games. The Tartu, Estonia native is averaging 12.8 points per game during the streak. Washington State is 19-4 all-time when Teder scores 10 or more points in a contest.
Top-10 3-Point Shooter
Charlisse Leger-Walker enters this weekend's matchup against the Huskies in a tie for 10th on WSU's all-time 3-point field goals made list. She is currently tied with WSU's all-time leading scorer Borislava Hristova (2015-20) with 127 3-pointers made at WSU.
Leger-Walker needs four more made 3-pointers to move past April Cook (2008-12; 116) for ninth, while she is seven 3-point makes away from passing Heather Norman (1988-92; 133) for eight on Washington State's all-time 3-point field goals made list.
Scouting the Huskies
Washington comes into Sunday's contest sporting a 7-1 record, as the Huskies are in year two under the direction of head coach Tina Langley. The Huskies have won two-straight games and hold a NET ranking of 111.
Sophomore Dalayah Daniels, who transferred into the program from Cal, leads the Huskies in scoring at 11.9 points per game. Daniels also paces UW on the glass, pulling down 6.4 rebounds per game. The 6-4 forward has collected two double-doubles this season, with the most recent coming back on Nov. 30 with a 17-point, 15-rebound in a win over Seattle U. Senior Haley Van Dyke, who was a Preseason All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection, follows Daniels at 9.4 points per game. Van Dyke has failed to score double-digit points in four-straight games after opening the 2022-23 season with a four-game double-digit scoring streak.
The Huskies are averaging 66.3 points per game while shooting 39.9 percent from the field. Washington is connecting on 22.0 percent of its shots from behind the arc. The Huskies have been a tough defensive team this season, as they are limiting teams to just 55.4 points per contest this season. The opposition is shooting 35.0 percent from the floor against UW and 33.3 percent on 3-point shot attempts.
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