Cougars Show Fight in Road Test at Gonzaga

Thursday, February 19

Spokane, Wash.

6 PM

Washington State University

5-23,4-11WCC

Gonzaga University

20-8,12-3WCC

Washington St.

Gonzaga

February 19, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Kamie Ethridge Postgame Donate to NIL

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

SPOKANE, Wash. (February 19, 2026) – Washington State women's basketball battled Gonzaga Thursday night before falling 75-50 at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

The Cougars (5-23, 4-11 WCC) finished with 28 points in the paint while holding Gonzaga to just eight points off turnovers.

Eleonora Villa led Washington State with 13 points and five assists, while Alex Covill added 10 points in the paint. Malia Ruud and Mackenzie Chatfield combined for 12 points.

WSU opened the game with energy on the defensive end and with early paint touches, as Covill scored WSU's first two baskets and Chatfield set the tone with active ball pressure. Gonzaga answered with a late first-quarter surge, but Washington State stayed composed and closed the period with a pull-up jumper from Villa to keep the deficit manageable at 17-8.

Villa sparked the Cougars offensively in the second quarter, scoring on consecutive drives and getting to the free-throw line as WSU trimmed the margin to five midway through the period. A fast-break layup from Keandra Koorits and steady ball movement kept Washington State within striking distance, but a late Gonzaga run pushed the halftime score to 38-23.

Coming out of the break, Washington State delivered its best stretch of the night. Charlotte Abraham knocked down a three on the opening possession of the third quarter, followed by a Villa layup to cap a 7-0 burst that cut the deficit to 10. Ruud added a pair of mid-range jumpers, and Covill converted at the line as the Cougars continued to attack the paint and generate quality looks.

Despite the push, Gonzaga responded with timely baskets, but WSU continued to compete possession by possession. A late transition layup from Ruud and a jumper from Koorits highlighted the Cougars' persistence as they entered the fourth quarter down 62-41.

Washington State kept pressing in the final period, with Covill finishing inside off another Villa assist and Chatfield converting a tough pull-up jumper. The Cougars' defense forced turnovers and contested shots throughout the quarter, but Gonzaga sealed the outcome late to secure the 75-50 final.

Notes

Eleonora Villa's 13 points puts her at 1,397 career points, 11th in program history and 88 from 10th (1,485).
Villa has 136 career made threes, 10th all-time at WSU and five away from 9th (141).
Villa's six makes puts her at 551 made field goals for her career, ninth all-time at WSU, and 25 from t-seventh (576).
Now at 3,310 career minutes played, Villa is 13 from top-10 all-time at WSU (3,323).
Alex Covill tallied one block to move to 145 career blocks, sixth all-time in program history and two from moving up to fifth (147).
Covill has 245 career rebounds, three away from 250, and 469 career points, 31 from 500.
Charlotte Abraham's four points puts her at 476 career points, 24 away from 500.
Abraham's eight rebounds put her at 178 for the season, 59 away from top-10 all-time at WSU in a single-season (237).

Up Next
The Cougars will finish the road trip at Oregon State on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Single-game tickets for the 2025-26 Women's Basketball season are on sale now. Fans wishing to purchase tickets can click on the link HERE, visit wsucougars.com to order online, or call the WSU Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-COUGS.

For all the latest WSU women's basketball news, photos and videos, like the team on Facebook (facebook.com/WSUCougarWBB), or follow on Twitter (@WSUCougarWBB) and Instagram (@wsucougarwbb).