The Cougar women wrapped up their non-conference slate on Sunday with a 76-48 home win over Saint Martin’s to move to 5-6 through the first half of the season. WSU also faced Brigham Young in Pullman on Friday, another example of the team’s tough early-season schedule, and lost 57-72.
In the battle of the Cougars, the teams opened up the game in a back-and-forth battle, with neither team gaining a significant advantage on the other. WSU shot just 20% from the field in the first quarter, but drew enough fouls and played solid defense to keep the defecit to just one by the end of the quarter.
WSU came out swinging in the second quarter, jumping out to an eight point lead by just under the seven minute mark in the quarter. BYU controlled the rest of the quarter though, ending on a 12-2 run to stop the home team’s momentum. BYU spread the scoring wealth during the run and during the first half, seeing mulitple critical starting pieces contribute to the offense. Guards Kemery Congdon and Amari Whiting combined for 14 points in the first half for BYU.
For WSU, Wallack led the scoring in the half, scoring nine of her 16 points in the first half. The first half presented a mostly defensive affair, with neither team scoring above 15 points in a quarter. The scoring effeciency in the paint was not nearly as much of an issue as the three-point clip, as the teams struggled to get long balls to fall. The teams shot for a combined 5-21 from beyond the arc in the first half.
The third quarter was a much different story than the first two, with both teams packing much more of a scoring punch. After the teams started off the quarter slow, the scoring began to pick up midway through the period. The teams traded scoring jabs for much of the quarter, staying within five points of each other throughout. Then with the score tied at 39 with three minutes to go, BYU would see an offensive explosion that would put them at a comfortable lead to end the quarter.
BYU ended the quarter on a 14-2 run to go up 53-42 for the largest lead of the game to that point. WSU turnovers combined with a barrage of BYU three-pointers allowed the visiting Cougars to build a cushion heading into the fourth. BYU shot 4-6 on three-pointers in the quarter. Guard Delaney Gibb had a quarter to remember, notching 14 points and three rebounds as her usual scoring prowess came alive in the second half. With the strong end to the quarter, BYU had all the momentum and never looked back.
WSU head coach Kamie Ethridge said she was dissappointed in her team on the defensive side of the ball, noting Gibb’s standout performance and that several players went under ball screens that they were not supposed to.
WSU tried its best early in the fourth to mount a comeback, cutting the lead to single-digits within the first two minutes before more turnovers combined with missed opportunities and a poor defensive performance allowed BYU to pull away. BYU built its lead up to 16 points halfway through the quarter and would eventually grow that lead to a high point of 19. Gibb and the BYU three-level scoring attack continued to pound the WSU defense as Gibb added seven more points in the final quarter. WSU was outscored 46-33 in the second half and shot just 3-12 from deep.
Gibb had a steller performance for BYU, scoring 26 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. The WSU perimeter defense struggled as two other visiting scorers got into the double-digits and BYU shot 45% from outside. Time and time again, the threat of the three ball combined with crafy scoring allowed for scoring opportunites to open up almost everywhere on the floor for BYU.
While BYU only forced one more turnover than WSU, they outscored the hosts 24-11 on points off turnovers and 17-2 on fast break points. BYU got out in transition and displayed an energy that WSU seemed to lack.
Forward Tara Wallack put the reasons for the loss into simple terms: “they made their shots” and “we weren’t playing with passion”.
The team’s only senior took some responsibility for the team not being on the same page and said the game was a chance to reflect.
“I know for a few games now we haven’t been [on the same page] and we’ve made some dumb mistakes and I’ve made some dumb mistakes,” Wallack said. “So I think it’s just reflecting on that and stepping up as a leader on the team and making sure the team knows what to do because those mistakes sure, [are okay] early on in the season, but now since we’re heading into our conference play I don’t think we should be making those mistakes now.”
Wallack led the way for WSU, scoring 16 points and grabbing eight boards. Center Alex Covill also grabbed eight boards and added eight points of her own.
After a dissapointing loss, an early afternoon game at Beasley Coliseum on a Sunday against a Division II opponent in Saint Martin’s presented WSU with an opportunity to end the weekend and the non-conference schedule on a high note and get some much-needed reps for the whole rotation. WSU head coach Kamie Ethridge was also on the cusp of earning her 100th win and the Cougs took care of business to secure the milestone for their highly successful coach.
The Cougs started off hot, outscoring the Saints 23-14 in the first quarter. Behind a nine-point quarter from guard Eleonora Villa, WSU shot a standout 64.3% from the field and 50% from three in the quarter.
The Cougs did not slow down in the second quarter either, scoring 18 points in the quarter to take a 41-26 halftime lead. WSU struggled from beyond the arc in the second quarter, going just 1-6, but they shot well inside as Wallack notched the first six points of the quarter. Reserve guard Kyra Gardner was also able to contribute in her most significant action all season, scoring five points in the quarter and finishing with eight in the game.
The Saints managed to put up their best scoring output of the game with 15 points in the third quarter as the team’s leading scorer for the game, forward Sarah Lamet, scored eight points in the quarter. Still, the Cougs did not relent, and built up their lead to 19 by the end of the third period.
With the defecit already at 19, the Saints were running out of time to make a comeback and the team’s desperation and exhaustion began to set in. Saint Martin’s shot just 21.4% from the field and 16.7% from three while WSU shot over 58% overall in the final quarter. The Cougs built up their lead to 28 as the Saints managed just seven points in the final frame.
Villa had a career performance, matching a career-high with 20 points while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists. Center Candace Kpetikou took advantage of the abscence of forward Dayana Mendes and recorded her first career triple-double, with 10 points and 10 boards. Almost the entire rotation got minutes, as 11 players saw action and eight players played 15 or more minutes.
Sunday’s win was more than just a win, it was about taking a breather, giving new players opportunities and reflecting on the season so far. Wallack reached the 1,000 mark in career points and climbed her way up to sixth all-time in blocks at WSU. Ethridge earned win No. 100 as she continues to reshape a program and redefine what success means for Cougar women’s basketball. Both Ethridge and Wallack said the win was something the team definitely needed and were appreciative of the roles they each played in each other’s success.
“I think its really hard to be one senior and not have people around you in her whole career, she’s been alone in that class she followed a really strong senior class last year,” Ethridge said. “So she’s trying to do all the things that five or six people did last year and she’s doing an amazing job as a leader, as someone that speaks her mind, as someone who wants to hold the standard and won’t let people shortcut and disresepct what we’re trying to build and what we have built.”
Wallack returned the praise.
“She’s a legend, we’re honored to even be coached by her and be in the same room as her,” Wallack said. “She is just someone we all look up to and she has so much experience and we learn something new every single day.”
At 5-6, the Cougs may not be in the position they hoped to be at about the halfway point of the season, but they have learned a lot and are certainly battle-tested given the challenges they faced so far. WSU now turns its attention to conference play in its first season in the WCC as they travel to San Diego to take on the Torerros on Thursday.
