CANCUN, MEXICO (November 25, 2023) – No. 23 Washington State women's basketball wrapped up at the 2023 Cancun Challenge with a 59-48 loss to Green Bay Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars move to 7-1 on the year for the fourth straight season, and had two score in double-figures.

Junior guard Tara Wallack scored a season-high 16 points, going 6-of-11 from the floor to go with a team-high six rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Wallack was also named to the All-Tournament Team, totaling 37 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and three steals over the three games.

Senior guard Charlisse Leger-Walker led the offense with 17 points, while also recording four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. She was named Tournament MVP, recording 39 points, 28 rebounds and 17 assists, including her triple-double on Thursday.

Graduate guard Beyonce Bea tied for the team lead with six rebounds, adding two points, two assists and a block.

Senior center Bella Murekatete finished with four rebounds and five points.

Freshman guard Jenna Villa also tallied five points to go with three assists and two rebounds.

Sophomore guard Astera Tuhina racked up three rebounds, three assists and a steal, while freshman guard Eleonora Villa had three points, two assists and a steal.

The Cougs shot 35 percent from the field, and went 22 percent from deep and 70 percent from the free throw line. WSU grabbed 26 boards compared to 33 by the Phoenix.

The Cougars led 14-10 after a quiet first quarter, but Green Bay used a 12-2 run in the second to take a 30-25 lead into the break. WSU began inching back in the third with big threes from Leger-Walker and J. Villa, but Green Bay pulled away in the fourth to win 59-48.


INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Charlisse Leger-Walker

• Scored 17 points to push her career point total to 1,578, fourth all-time in WSU career scoring
• Made three 3-pointers to push her career total to 187, second-most in WSU history (227, Alexys Swedlund)
• Six made field goals pushed her career total to 546, seventh-most in WSU history
• Played 35 minutes to push her career total to 3,355, fifth-most in WSU history

Bella Murekatete

• Grabbed four rebounds to push career rebound total to 783, fourth-most in WSU history
• Made career start No. 117, third-most in WSU history

Beyonce Bea

• Scored 2 points to push her career point total to 2,002
• Grabbed six rebounds to extend her career rebound total to 944
• Appeared in her 124th career game

 

Mayan All-Tournament Team
MVP — Charlisse Leger-Walker, Washington State
Tara Wallack, Washington State
Shyanne Sellers, Maryland
Jakia Brown-Turner, Maryland
Cassie Schiltz, Green Bay
Stephanie Kulesza, UMass
 

UP NEXT
The Cougars return to Pullman for a pair of weekday games next week, hosting Texas A&M Commerce on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m., and UC Davis on Friday, Dec. 1. Tip-off for Friday's game is still to be determined.