Cougars Battle, Fall to Portland 72-62 in Las Vegas

Saturday, March 7

Las Vegas, Nev.

12:00 PM

Washington State University

9-25,6-12WCC

University of Portland

18-13,11-7WCC

Washington St.

Portland

March 07, 2026 | Women's Basketball

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By: Washington State Athletic Communications

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (March 7, 2026) – Washington State women's basketball battled throughout and closed the game with its strongest quarter, but Portland used a decisive third-period surge to hold off the Cougars 72–62 Saturday afternoon at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

The Cougars (9-25, 6-12 WCC) trimmed a double-digit deficit in the final period and finished the day shooting nearly 44 percent from the field while outrebounding the Pilots 36-24, but Portland capitalized on turnovers and a big third quarter to escape with the win.

Eleonora Villa led Washington State with 16 points and four assists, while Charlotte Abraham added 15 points, seven rebounds and three three-pointers.

Alex Covill anchored the interior with 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocks as the Cougars scored 34 points in the paint.

Washington State came out aggressive early, scoring the game's first four points on a Villa layup and a Covill finish inside. Abraham then knocked down a three midway through the opening quarter to give the Cougars an 11-8 edge. Portland answered late, however, closing the period on a short run to take an 18-15 lead after one.

The second quarter featured several momentum swings. Keandra Koorits and Malia Ruud each converted inside baskets to pull WSU within a possession before Mackenzie Chatfield's layup pushed the Cougars back in front, 23-22. Portland responded from the perimeter with a pair of late three-pointers, but Abraham buried a triple in the closing seconds to send Washington State into halftime trailing just 33-30.

Portland created separation in the third quarter, turning defensive pressure into offense. A sequence of steals and transition baskets sparked a 17-4 stretch that pushed the Pilots' advantage to double digits. Despite interior finishes from Covill and Abraham, the Cougars entered the fourth quarter down 50-41.

Washington State showed resilience in the final period. Villa and Abraham combined for key baskets as the Cougars scored 21 points in the quarter and continued to attack inside. Covill added another strong post finish and the WSU defense forced several late stops, but the early third-quarter deficit proved too large to overcome.

Despite the result, Washington State showed balance offensively with 18 assists on 25 made field goals and controlled the glass throughout the afternoon as the Cougars continued to fight until the final buzzer.

Notes

Eleonora Villa's 16 points puts her at 1,487 career points, ninth in program history and 13 from eighth (1,500).
Villa also has 560 points this season, the most she has scored in a single-season and eighth-most all-time in program history.
Villa made one three to move to 142 career made threes, 9th-most in program history and one from eighth (143).
Villa's six makes puts her at 586 made field goals for her career, seventh all-time at WSU, and 20 from sixth (606).
Villa sits at 249 career rebounds, one shy of the 250 mark.
Now at 3,501 career minutes played, Villa is seventh all-time at WSU, and 34 from sixth (3,535).
Alex Covill had three blocks to move to 152 career blocks, fifth all-time in program history and four from moving up to fourth (156).
Abraham's seven rebounds put her at 203 for the season, 34 away from top-10 all-time at WSU in a single-season (237).
Marta Alsina matched a career-high with five assists.

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