Women's Basketball Announces 2021-22 Non-Conference Schedule

PULLMAN, Wash. – Coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 seasons, the Washington State women's basketball team will be looking to dance its way back into March Madness this season, as the Cougars have announced their 2021-22 non-conference schedule. WSU opens its 10-game non-conference slate Nov. 9 against San Jose State in Beasley Coliseum.

Head coach Kamie Ethridge has once again assembled a challenging non-conference schedule for her Cougars. Washington State will take on four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago and five teams that finished last season with a NET ranking inside the top 100. In total, WSU will play six non-conference games against teams that advanced to the postseason a season ago.

Washington State will prep for the new campaign with a pair of exhibition contests against Saint Martin's (Oct. 24) and Northwest Nazarene (Nov. 5) at Beasley Coliseum.

WSU opens the 2021-22 regular season with San Jose State, Nov. 9. It will be the 10th meeting all-time between the Cougars and the Spartans, but it is the first time the two schools have played one another in a season-opening contest. Washington State won the last meeting against San Jose State, 91-61, back on Nov. 27, 2015, in Pullman. The Cougs have won six-straight games against SJSU, a streak that dates back to 1985.

After the home opener, Washington State turns its focus towards a pair of Big Sky opponents. The Cougars host Northern Arizona, Nov. 12, before making the eight-mile trek over to Moscow, Idaho on Nov. 21 to battle the Vandals at the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena. This will be the first meeting between the Cougs and NAU, while it will be the 40th meeting all-time against Idaho for WSU. Washington State picked up a 74-55 win over the Vandals in last season's home opener at Beasley Coliseum and holds the all-time series lead over UI, 27-13.

The Cougs will spend the Thanksgiving holiday in the Bahamas to play in the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship (Nov. 25-27). Washington State opens its stay in the Bahamas with a contest against Miami (Fla.), Nov. 25, before taking on NC State, Nov. 27. It will be the second time in three seasons that WSU has play the Hurricanes, as they previously met on Dec. 21, 2019, at the 2019 Miami Holiday Classic. It will be the third time Washington State takes on NC State and the first since the 2007 season. The Cougars will be seeking its first win over the Wolfpack, as they are 0-3 all-time against them in previous matchups. NC State is coming off a season that saw them spend time at No. 1 in both polls. The Wolfpack won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) a season ago and was the No. 1 seed in the Mercado Region at the 2021 NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Sweet 16.

Washington State returns to Beasley Dec. 2 to take on San Francisco. The Cougs will be looking to make it eight-straight wins over the Dons, as WSU has won every matchup against USF since 1985. The Dons were 16-11 a season ago and advanced to the WNIT, where they picked up a win over Houston in the first round.

It will be a short stay at home for the Cougs after the USF game, as they hit the road for a pair of contests against two NCAA Tournament teams. WSU opens the trip at UC Davis, Dec. 4. The Aggies won the Big West last season, posting a 13-3 record and earning a No. 12 seed at the 2021 NCAA Tournament. UC Davis has won the last two games against Washington State, with the last meeting taking place on Nov. 18, 2018 in Pullman.

WSU heads up to Spokane to take on Gonzaga, Dec. 8, to close out its two-game road trip against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. It will be the Cougars first trip to the Lilac City since the 2018-19 season. Washington State will be looking to snap a four-game skid to the Bulldogs, as its last win over Gonzaga came on Dec. 8, 2015. Gonzaga enters the season as the defending West Coast Conference champions and earned a No. 5 seed at the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Washington State's final home non-conference opponent of the season will be a familiar one, as the Cougars host Boise State, Dec. 12. It will be the 41st meeting between WSU and the Broncos, in a series that dates back to the 1972 season. Washington State will be seeking its fourth-straight win over BSU, while the Cougs have won 11 of the last 14 meetings against the Broncos.

The Cougars closes out their 2021-22 non-conference schedule up in the mountains, as they take on BYU, Dec. 18. The Cougars of Provo won 19 games last season, earning a No. 12 seed at the 2021 NCAA Tournament where they advanced to the second round.

Washington State is coming off a 2020-21 campaign that saw them advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1990-91 season. WSU went 12-12 overall and earned a No. 9 seed in the Mercado Region at the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The Cougs won return all five starters from a season ago, which includes 2020-21 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Charlisse Leger-Walker.

The Pac-12 Conference schedule will be announced at a later date. All games and dates are subject to change.

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