LOS ANGELES – The Washington State women's basketball team ended the 2022-23 regular season with a hard-fought battle at Southern California (RV), as the Cougars fell to the Trojans, 68-65, in double overtime Saturday, Feb. 25, in Pac-12 Conference action.

The Cougars got a double-double from junior Charlisse Leger-Walker, as the guard from Waikato, New Zealand scored 17 points and pulled down a team-best 10 rebounds. It is Leger-Walker's second double-double of the season, while it is her fifth career double-double. Leger-Walker was one of three Cougs to score double-digit points against the Trojans, as senior Bella Murekatete collected 17 points, while senior Johanna Teder added 14 points and sank four 3-point field goals.

With the loss, Washington State ends the 2022-23 regular season with a 19-10 overall record, while the Cougars close Pac-12 play at 9-9. WSU claims the No. 7 seed in next week's Pac-12 Conference Tournament and will take on No. 10 California. The 19 wins collected by this year's team tie the program record for most wins in a season in the NCAA era, which was set by the 2021-22 team. The 19 wins are tied for the second-most in a season in program history, only behind the 21-win total set by the 1978-79 squad.

The Cougars led by as many as 19 points against Southern California on Saturday, as WSU held a 41-22 lead after Teder sank a 3-pointer at the 4:29 mark of the third quarter. Southern California would chip away at the Cougar lead throughout the remainder of regulation and eventually pulled even with the Cougs with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The two teams traded blows from there, however, Washington State had the ball with 15 seconds remaining with a chance to win the game. The Cougars were unable to convert on the final possession of regulation, as the game into over with the two teams tied at 53-53.

Washington State jumped out to a 3-point lead early in the first overtime period and maintained a three-point advantage through the majority of the stanza. The Trojans pulled even with the Cougars at 60-60 after sinking a corner 3-point show with a minute to play in the first overtime. Those would be the final points scored in the first overtime period, as the teams traded defensive blows over the final minute of the first extra period. USC had a chance to end the game on its final possession of overtime, but the Washington State defense stood tall and forced the Trojans to miss a contested shot right before the buzzer sounded to send the game into a second overtime.

The defensive tilt continued on into double overtime, as neither team scored a point in the frame until the 3:02 mark of the stanza when Southern California hit a pair of free throws to take its first lead of the game at 62-60. Junior Jessica Clarke pulled the Cougs even at 62-all on the next possession with a layup, but the Trojans were able to respond with a jumper on their next possession to take a 64-62 advantage.

Fifth year senior Ula Motuga hit a clutch 3-point field goal at the top of the key on the Cougars' next possession to give Washington State a 65-64 advantage with 1:47 left to play. The Trojan defense clamped down on Washington State from that point, as USC kept the Cougars off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game, as they were able to get back-to-back jumpers to seal a 68-65 double overtime victory.

Motuga made program history Saturday, as she played in her 130th career game with Washington State to set the program record for most games played.

Head Coach Kamie Ethridge on the Decision
"Just didn't do enough in the second half to hold them off. USC picked up the pressure and we didn't handle it well. We had so many opportunities and didn't make enough plays. It's a lesson to figure out how to play better with a lead. The more aggressive team won today."

Up Next
The Washington State women's basketball team will now head to Las Vegas to open the 2023 Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament next Wednesday, March 1, at the Michelob ULTRA Arena. The Cougars will be the No. 7 seed in the tournament and will open their stay in Sin City against No. 10 California. WSU will take on the Golden Bears Wednesday, March 1, at 6 p.m. PT. The game will air live on the Pac-12. Network.

Coug Notes
- The Cougars end the regular season with a 19-10 record overall. It marks the second-straight season that WSU has posted a winning record, marking the first time that Washington State has posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 1994-95, 1995-96 campaigns.
- With a 19-10 overall record, Washington State post a winning season for the seventh time in the NCAA era in program history, while it is WSU's 16th winning season ever.
- Washington State ends the 2022-23 regular season with 19 wins, which is tied with the 2021-22 team for the most wins in a single season in program history.
- WSU's nine wins in Pac-12 play are tied for the third-most Pac-12 wins in a season in program history, tying them with the 1989-90, 1994-95, 2013-14, and the 2020-21 teams.
- WSU ends the regular season with a 9-4 record in true road games. The nine wins sets a program record for most true road wins in the NCAA era. The Cougars collected five road wins in Pac-12 play, which sets the program record for most conference road wins in a season.
- Fifth year senior Ula Motuga set the program record for games played in a career this afternoon, playing in her 130th career game for Washington State.
- Junior Charlisse Leger-Walker collected her second double-double of the season with a 17-point, 10-rebound effort against USC. It is her fifth career double-double.
- Leger-Walker's 17-point performance marks the 69th game in her WSU career scoring 10 or more points.
- Leger-Walker extends her double-digit scoring streak to five games.
- Johanna Teder's four 3-point field goals matched her season-best performance in made 3-pointers, matching her effort at Arizona State back on Jan. 27.
- Senior Bella Murekatete's 17-point effort marked the 20th time this season she has scored double-digit points.
- Murekatete extends her double-digit scoring streak to five games.