After making up a double-digit halftime deficit, there wasn’t enough jump in the final two minutes to complete a second-half comeback.

Washington State freshman forward Borislava Hristova scored six of her team-high 12 points in the final 20 seconds against Saint Mary’s, but the pair of 3-pointers from the prolific freshman weren’t enough to complete the comeback as the Cougars fell 75-71 to the Gaels.

WSU (8-2) shot 33 percent from the field on 10 of 30 shooting, leading to just 27 points in the first half. Coming out of the break the Cougars found their stroke, outscoring the Gaels 23-12 in the third quarter.

A 23-5 run sparked the Cougars’ third quarter turnaround and gave WSU a 50-49 lead shortly before surrendering the lead once again.

Down just one possession heading into the fourth quarter, the Cougars continued to push to regain the lead and complete the comeback. Sophomore guard Caila Hailey knocked down a 3-pointer with 19 seconds remaining, but it still wasn’t enough.

Saint Mary’s converted 12 of 13 free throws in the fourth quarter – 23 of 28 total in the game – to keep the Cougars away.

WSU shot 51 percent from the floor in the second half on 17 of 33 shooting, but had only two players, Hristova and sophomore forward Louise Brown, in double figures, with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

The Gaels finished with four in double figures, including a game-high 24 points from senior guard Lauren Nicholson. Junior guard Devyn Galland added in 15 points of her own while redshirt junior forward Devon Brookshire and freshman forward Sydney Raggio added a pair of 12-point efforts respectively.

WSU has a week break before hitting the road again Dec. 20 to face Kansas.

Reporting by Lars Hanson