Cougs Open Pac-12 Play this Friday in Beasley
PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State women's basketball team opens Pac-12 Conference play this Friday, Dec. 31, as the Cougars host California. Tip-off against the Golden Bears is set for 7 p.m. PT and will air live on Pac-12 Network Bay Area.
WASHINGTON STATE (8-3, 0-0 Pac-12) vs. California (9-2, 0-0 Pac-12) | Friday, Dec. 31 | 7 p.m. | Beasley Coliseum
Live Stats | Stat Broadcast
Watch | Pac-12 Network Bay Area (Greg Heister and Angela Taylor)
Listen | WSU IMG Radio Network (Steve Grubbs)
Game Notes | Click Here
STARTING FIVE
>> The Cougars enter the Pac-12 portion on their schedule at 8-3 overall. The eight wins are the most for WSU heading into conference play since the 2015-16 campaign, when the Cougs had nine wins going into Pac-12 play.
>> WSU is 2-1 in Pac-12 openers under head coach Kamie Ethridge. The Cougars defeated Washington, 60-52, in Seattle in last season's conference opener. Washington State is 12-23 all-time in Pac-12 openers.
>> Friday's matchup against California marks the 74th all-time meeting between Washington State and California. The Golden Bears lead the all-time series 48-25, but the Cougars have won each of the last two meetings after sweeping the season series back in 2019-20. The two teams did not play one another last season due to COVID-19 complications. WSU is 18-16 against California in Pullman.
>> Washington State will be looking to extend its home winning streak to seven games. The Cougar's six-consecutive wins at home marks the longest winning streak at Beasley Coliseum in program history.
>> Sophomore Charlisse Leger-Walker enters Pac-12 play sitting inside the top-five in the conference in field goals made (3rd; 64), points scored (2nd; 189), free throws made (4th; 35), points per game (2nd; 17.2), steals (2nd; 25) and 3-point field goals made (3rd; 26).
Playing Tough Defense
Washington State has been playing stellar defense all season and head into league play with the 65th-best scoring defense in the nation. The Cougars are giving up 57.2 points per game through 11 contests this season. Only two teams have scored 64-or-more points against the Cougs the season.
Sending It Back
The Cougs currently rank 25th in the nation in blocks per game at 5.3 swats per contest. Junior Bella Murekatete heads into the weekend second in the Pac-12 in blocks per game at 2.18, a mark that is also 27th-best in NCAA Division I.
NET Ranking
Washington State enters the weekend with a NET ranking of 72. The NET is an evaluation tool used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee to select the field.
Lending a Hand
Fifth-year redshirt senior Krystal Leger-Walker heads into Pac-12 play third in the conference in assists per game at 4.5. Leger-Walker has handed out at least one assist in 50-straight games, a streak that began during her time at Northern Colorado.
Double-Digit Scoring Streak
Sophomore Charlisse Leger-Walker heads into Friday's game on a six-game double-digit scoring streak. Leger-Walker has scored 10-or-more points in 32 of her 35 career games at WSU.
Scouting the Golden Bears
California heads into Pac-12 play with a 9-2 overall record. The Golden Bears have won three-straight games heading into Pullman and have a NET ranking of 86.
Freshman Jayda Curry has been spectacular in her first season at the collegiate level, as she leads the Pac-12 in scoring at 20.1 points per game. Curry has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week four times this season and has scored 12-or-more points in all 11 games this season. Junior Evelien Lutje Schipholt is the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week, after scoring 20 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in a win over Saint Mary's. Lutje Schipholt leads the Golden Bears in rebounds at 8.4 caroms per game, while her 10.9 points per contest is tied for second on the team with junior Cailyn Crocker.
The Golden Bears are averaging 76.0 points per game on a 43.5 shooting percentage. Cal is shooting 34.6 percent from behind the arc and pull down 40.9 rebounds per game. Defensively, California is giving up 63.3 points per game. Teams are shooting 35.3 percent against the Golden Bears, while hitting 33.5 percent from behind the arc.
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