PULLMAN, Wash. (January 11, 2025) – Washington State women's basketball fell to Gonzaga 69-61 Saturday afternoon in Beasley Coliseum. 

The Cougars (10-8, 5-2 WCC) shot well from three-point range, going 8-of-18 thanks to a career day from Eleonora Villa. Gonzaga still had the advantage, however, nailing 11-of-23 from three and won the rebound battle 45-22. 

Eleonora Villa led the game in scoring with a new career-high 24 points along with a career-high five made threes.

Tara Wallack had 12 points, four rebounds, four blocks and a career-high five steals while Alex Covill recorded 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor. 

Both teams exchanged blows in the first quarter as the Zags were able to hold onto a slight advantage. Throughout the first quarter, WSU's Wallack kept them in the game as the senior had seven points, three steals and two blocks and the team trailed GU 16-12 at the end of the first.

With Washington State nearing striking distance in the second quarter, Gonzaga started to heat up from beyond the arc. Three straight triples put them up 33-22 for their largest lead of the game. GU was able to find an advantage in the paint over the first half of play, as Gonzaga outrebounded Wazzu 23-9 and converted 10 second-chance points to the Cougs' zero.

Out of the break and facing their biggest deficit of the game, Wazzu climbed their way back into things with help from Eleonora Villa. The sophomore scored 10 points and nailed two three-pointers in the third to fuel a 9-0 run and cut the Zags lead to just two, 44-42, before Marta Alsina hit another trey to make it a one-point game, 46-45 in the final seconds of the first. 

While the Cougs dominated the third quarter, the Zags found their shot in the fourth, using an 11-2 run to extend their lead once again. Despite Eleonora Villa's attempts to keep the Cougars hopes alive, adding eight more points in the fourth, Gonzaga survived for the 69-61 win. 


RECORD BOOK CLIMBERS AND MILESTONE CHASERS  
•    Tara Wallack's 12 points put her at 1,085 for her career, ranking 19th in program history. 
•    Wallack's four blocks puts her at 137 career blocks, moving her to fifth all-time at WSU. 
•    With 40 minutes today, she has played 3,442 career minutes, moving up to sixth all-time at WSU. 
•    Wallack is also 518 minutes away from matching the most in program history. 
•    Tonight's start was the 98th of Wallack's career, two away from 100. 
•    Alex Covill's two blocks today has her at 91 career blocks, two away from entering the WSU all-time top-10 list. 

NOTES
•    With seven blocks today, that was WSU's 10th game this season with 7+ blocks.

UP NEXT
The Cougs are back on the road next weekend at San Francisco on Thursday, January 16 at 6 p.m., and at Santa Clara on Saturday, January 18 at 2 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
   
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