WSU’s Late Rally Held Off By Brigham Young

PROVO, Utah – Washington State women’s basketball dropped an 80-73 nonconference decision to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah Tuesday.

Washington State (3-4) had four players score in double figures as BYU (5-0) used a late 8-2 run to pull away after WSU had tied the game 63 with 4:13 remaining. Washington State shot over 41 percent from the floor but went 3-of-18 from behind the arc while Brigham Young shot over 44 percent and hit eight 3-pointers.

Junior guard Tia Presley and sophomore guard Lia Galdeira each led Washington State with 15 points a piece while senior forward Sage Romberg tallied 14 points and nine rebounds. Junior center Shalie Dheensaw scored a career high 10 points and brought down eight rebounds.

WSU used a 16-4 run midway through the first half to build a six-point lead with just under nine minutes left. Presley got things going with a three and Dheensaw followed with back-to-back jumpers before Romberg layed one in. Minutes later, the Washington State bench came alive as senior guard Brandi Thomas knocked down a jumper of her own and sophomore guard Taylor Edmondson connected from three before Romberg ended the run with a bucket.

BYU quickly answered with a 10-0 run eventually took a 37-32 into the break.

Brigham Young slowly built its lead up to 10 and kept it around double figures early in the second half before Washington State caught fire with under 10 minutes left. Romberg started WSU’s 12-1 run with four straight points, Dheensaw added a jumper and Thomas hit another before senior forward Hana Potter registered a basket and Galdeira tied things up at 63.

Following a timeout, BYU produced an 8-2 run over the next two minutes, taking a 71-65 lead with 1:48 remaining. Dheensaw answered for WSU, hitting a jumper to make it a four-point game but Brigham Young hit nine of its 10 free throw attempts in the final 68 seconds to seal up the win.

WSU continues its road trip with a matchup at No. 10 Nebraska Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. (PT).