PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State women's basketball team opened the New Year by taking a 65-54 loss to Colorado in Pac-12 Conference action at Beasley Coliseum Sunday, Jan. 1.
Despite posting a higher shooting percentage than Colorado, the Cougars were outrebounded by the Buffaloes 38-24, which led to a 16-4 edge in second-chance points for CU. Washington State was also plagued by turnovers, as they committed 17 miscues which led to a 25-7 edge for Colorado in points off turnovers. Washington State shot 45.5 percent in the contest, while Colorado posted a 42.4% shooting percentage. The Cougars limited the Buffaloes to just 10 percent from behind the arc, as Washington State held Colorado to 1-of-10 on 3-point attempts.
Senior Bella Murekatete led the Cougars in scoring with a 15-point performance. It is Murekatete's second-straight double-digit scoring performance, as the 6-3 forward had 20 points in Friday's contest against No. 11-ranked Utah. Sophomore Tara Wallack also scored double digits for the third time over the last four games, as the South Surrey, British Columbia native chipped in 13 points.
With the loss, Washington State falls to 10-4 overall on the year and 0-3 in Pac-12 play.
The two teams were engaged in a back-and-forth battle over the first 15-plus minutes, as Washington State held a 24-22 advantage after a Wallack free throw at 5:54 in the second quarter. Colorado went on an 11-0 run from that point to take a 33-24 lead with a minute to play before the half. The Cougars were able to get a layup from senior Grace Sarver to close out the stanza, as WSU trailed at the break, 33-26.
The Buffaloes were able to expand their lead to double digits early in the third quarter, taking a 40-29 advantage over the Cougars with 5:23 left to play in the third. Washington State chipped away at the Colorado lead, as an 8-0 run by the Cougs made it a one-possession game at 40-37. The Cougars faced a three-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, but Colorado went on an 18-7 to close out the final stanza to hand Washington State an 11-point loss at home.
Head Coach Kamie Ethridge on the Result
"Just disappointed in our effort. It felt like from the beginning of the game that we were playing in mud. It was concerning coming back today after a hard-fought game against a team like Utah. We have a young team. We didn't have some of our leadership around and didn't reproduce that energy from the other night. It was a sluggish, undisciplined performance and we got beat by a more disciplined, physical team. They were a team willing to do the work and that played out in our decision-making and in our rebounding numbers."
Coug Notes
- Washington State falls to 13-9 all-time against Colorado and is now 8-3 against the Buffaloes in Pullman.
- The Cougars are now 0-2 during their current three-game homestand. The stay at Beasley ends next Sunday, Jan. 8, when Washington comes into Pullman to take on WSU.
- Senior Ula Motuga, sophomore Tara Wallack, and freshman Astera Tuhina each handed out four assists in the loss to Colorado.
- Senior Bella Murekatete records double-digit points for the ninth time this season. It is also Murekatete's 41 career game at WSU with 10-or-more points.
- Sophomore Tara Wallack posted double-digit points for the 12th time in her WSU career. Her 13-point effort against Colorado marks the eighth time this season that she has recorded double-digit points.
- Washington State was once again playing without its leading scorer Charlisse Leger-Walker, who is back in her home country of New Zealand dealing with a personal family matter. Her status is day-to-day.
Next Up
Washington State will take the next week away from games, as the Cougars are not scheduled to play until next Sunday, Jan. 8, when the Huskies come into Beasley Coliseum. Tip-off in the second and final Boeing Apple Cup Series game of the year is set for 12 p.m. PT and will air live on Pac-12 Network Washington.
Follow Us
For more information on the Washington State women's basketball team, follow @WSUCougarWBB on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.