PULLMAN, Wash. (February 16, 2024) – Washington State women's basketball dropped its matchup with Arizona, 64-45 Friday night.

The Cougars (15-11, 4-9 Pac-12) out-rebounded Arizona, 36-33, and created good looks but couldn't get shots to fall, as they finished 38.7 percent from the field and 18.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Eleonora Villa continued her hot shooting with 16 points, scoring in double-figures for her 10th straight game, and 21st time this season. She also tallied a rebound, an assist and a steal.

Bella Murekatete finished with eight points, seven rebounds a block and a steal.

Tara Wallack scored seven points to go with three rebounds, three assists and a block.

Beyonce Bea led the team with nine boards, along with two points, an assist and a steal.

Kyra Gardner grabbed a career-high six rebounds, and totaled four points, an assist and a steal.

Alex Covill tallied five points, four rebounds and a block, and Jenna Villa had three points, two rebounds and a block.

Murekatete opened the scoring and put WSU ahead 2-0, but Arizona followed that with 12 unanswered to take a 12-2 lead three minutes into the game. Teams traded shots from there and a pair of E. Villa free throws and a Wallack layup made it 21-10 entering the second.

Five points, all from E. Villa, countered the six points from Arizona midway through the second quarter to put the score at 27-15. She added two more with a turnaround jumper in the final seconds of the first half to make it 33-17 going into the locker room.

Buckets from E. Villa and Wallack out of the break, and a Murekatete layup allowed WSU to keep up with Arizona, 39-24. But five straight from the Wildcats stretched their lead to 20, 44-24, with under five to play in the third. Arizona led by as many as 25, but a pair of threes from E. Villa and J. Villa sent the game into the fourth, 56-34.

After a quick six points from Covill, Garner and Wallack to open the fourth, Gardner connected on a fadeaway jumper to bring things back to within 18, 60-42. Both teams slowed in the final minutes, and while Murekatete cut into the Wildcat lead down the stretch, WSU ultimately fell 64-45.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Bella Murekatete

• Grabbed seven rebounds to extend her program lead to 917 career rebounds
• Eight points today puts her at 1,465 career points, 10th most in program history
• One block extended her program lead in career blocks to 179
• Played in game number 143, and started her 135th game, extending her program lead in both categories

Beyonce Bea

• Her two points tonight extended her career total to 2,070 points
• Grabbed nine rebounds to extend career rebounds total to 1,013
• Appeared in her 137th career game

UP NEXT
The Cougars continue the road trip at Arizona State on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m.

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