As the Cougars lead began to slip away in the fourth quarter, Washington State women’s basketball Head Coach June Daugherty found out just what Louise Brown could do for her.

The sophomore forward took two pivotal charges before knocking down a corner three to give WSU a four-point lead with 1:49 remaining in the game to lead the Cougars (8-1) to a 55-48 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs (6-4) Tuesday night in Beasley Coliseum.

Brown was able to knock down one of two free throws the following possession to seal the victory for WSU.

“I was pretty fired up to say the least,” Brown said with a light-hearted laugh. “But honestly my mind was blank. My head was in the game, going all out for my team.”

Brown’s final six points gave her 14 on the night, a career high. It was the sophomore’s presence both on and off the court that gave the Cougars the strength to fend off the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter.

“Louise Brown was leading the charge not just on the court but in the timeouts,” Daugherty said. “She was all about taking care of home court and stepping up and step up she did – a career night for her.”

WSU started the night on a 7-0 run in the first two minutes. The Cougars kept their distance from the Bulldogs with a seven-point lead to close out the first quarter.

Senior point guard Dawnyelle Awa said the Bulldogs are not an easy team to beat, for WSU or any other team. Now with eight wins on the season, the senior said the Cougs are ready to propel forward into their upcoming schedule.

“It’s always been back and forth, so it does mean a lot to us,” Awa said. “They’re a really good team and get to the NCAA’s every year, so we’re happy to beat them this year.”

The Cougars take the court at 1 p.m. Saturday to face Saint Mary’s in Moraga, California.

Reporting by Lars Hanson