Big Second Half Lifts Cougs Over Tigers, 74-66

Monday, December 30

Stockton, Calif.

6:00 PM

Washington State University

8-6,3-0WCC

University of the Pacific

5-9,1-3WCC

Washington St.

Pacific

December 30, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Game Highlights Kamie Ethridge Postgame

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

STOCKTON, Calif. (December 30, 2024) – Washington State women's basketball used a strong second-half finish to knock off Pacific 74-66 Monday night.

The Cougars (8-6, 3-0 WCC) hit six second-half threes and went 9-of-25 from deep on the night to stretch their winning streak to four games.

Eleonora Villa matched her career-high with a team-leading 20 points, to go with six rebounds, two steals and two assists.

Astera Tuhina used a trio of threes to score 16 on the night, with three assists and a steal.

Jenna Villa went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc for 13 points, five rebounds and two steals.

Tara Wallack led the team with nine boards, five assists and three blocks, along with eight points and a steal.

Alex Covill finished with 12 points, five rebounds and a block.

After Pacific moved ahead 7-2 to open the game, Eleonora Villa converted on a 3-point play and then a pair of Covill layups and a Jenna Villa three made it a one-point game, 13-12, before going into the second quarter down a possession, 17-15.

A layup from Eleonora Villa set up a go-ahead three from Jenna Villa to put WSU ahead 20-19 early in the second quarter. Things went back-and-forth from there as layups from Covill and Tuhina made it a 24-23 Cougar lead. The game would see a pair of ties, 26-all on a Wallack layup and 31-all on a Tuhina trey before the half came to an end, but Pacific held a 36-32 advantage at the break.

Out of the locker room, Pacific led 38-32 before a triple from Charlotte Abraham kicked off a 12-0 scoring run for WSU along with the help of seven points from Eleonora Villa to put the Cougars back in front, 44-38 midway through the third quarter. Pacific crept back to get to within a possession, but a big three from Jenna Villa helped Wazzu to take a 56-49 lead into the fourth.

The Cougs would stay in control the rest of the way, as threes from Jenna Villa and Tuhina stretched the lead to 62-53, and then layups from Eleonora Villa and Candace Kpetikou made it 69-57 midway through the fourth quarter. Down the stretch, a jumper from Eleonora Villa and a trio of Tuhina free throws sealed the 74-66 win.

RECORD BOOK CLIMBERS AND MILESTONE CHASERS
•   Tara Wallack's eight points put her at 1,039 for her career, ranking 20th in program history.
•   Wallack's three blocks puts her at 128 career blocks, sixth all-time at WSU.
•   With 37 minutes today, she has played 3,294 career minutes, 10th all-time at WSU.
•   Wallack is also 666 minutes away from matching the most in program history.
•   Alex Covill's one block gives her 85 career blocks, eight away from entering the WSU all-time top-10 list.

NOTES
•   Wallack is now one assist from 200 for her career, which would give her 1,000+ points, 500+ rebounds and 200+ steals.
•   WSU became the first team in the nation to reach 100 blocks this season, leading the NCAA with 101.

UP NEXT
The Cougs return to Pullman for a pair of home games, hosting Santa Clara on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 6 p.m., and Oregon State on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 12 p.m. noon. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Ann Schatz and Mary Murphy on the call.

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For more information on the Washington State women's basketball team, follow @WSUCougarWBB on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.