Washington State University women’s basketball took to the road against their eastern region rivals Gonzaga University this Thursday. The Cougs fell short 75-50 at the buzzer at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, WA.
The Cougs brought the intensity from tipoff with Alex Covill getting the ball to the Cougs. Covill scored the first points for the Cougs from a strong pass from Mackenzie Chatfield. Defensively the Cougs applied pressure and ball movement. Both teams started the quarter off with intense back and forth scoring.
Covill helped the Cougs on both offense and defense with a total of three rebounds and 10 points. Similarly Chatfield provided help for the Cougs on both ends with a total of three rebounds, four assists and 6 points.
Ending the first quarter and going straight into the second the Cougs came back with intensity on offense and defense with strong ball movement and driving into the paint. Eleonora Villa was not afraid of driving straight into the paint and trying to get shots at any chance. Villa in total had two rebounds, five assists and 15 points. Going into halftime the Cougs were behind by 15.
Coming out of halftime the Cougs brought the heat and intensity taking to the hoop any chance they got. Scoring the most out of any quarter with 18 points in the third. In response, the Zags did not let up on defense or offense and continued to lead.
Malia Ruud and Keandra Koorits added to the intensity of the third quarter. Ruud had a total of three rebounds and 6 points. Koorits clocked in with one assist, one rebound and 7 points.
In the fourth quarter the Cougs continued to push and fight until the end on both offense and defense trying to get any points they can. However, Gonzaga did not let up. At the buzzer the Cougs lost by 25 points, with a final score of 75-50.
“We have to compete on the boards. I mean I think the boards probably was an indication of their physicality and you know they just lost a game so they have a lot to play for,” head coach Kamie Ethridge said in a postgame interview.
The Cougs will continue on the road down to Corvallis to take on Pac-2 rivals Oregon State University Saturday Feb.21.
