Bears Drop Pac-12 Opener

PULLMAN, WA. – The shorthanded Cal women's basketball team struggled offensively on Friday night. The Bear shot 28.8 percent on the evening and had just one player in double figures as they fell to host Washington State 69-42 at Beasley Coliseum.

Cal (9-3, 0-1 Pac-12) was held to just 14 first half points after going 5-for-23 from the field. The Bears responded by shooting better in the second half, going 10-for-29 from the floor, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. But the second half surge by the Bears could not overcome the 24-point halftime deficit.

Cailyn Crocker led the Bears in scoring, she finished with 11 points. Eveline Lutje Schipholt finished with eight points and eight rebounds. Alma Elsnitz had six points and a career-high seven rebounds in a season-high 21 minutes in her first start of the season.

Washington State (9-3, 1-0 Pac-12) finished the night with three players in double figures and was led by Charlisse Leger-Walker who scored a game-high 22 points, while shooting 57.1 percent from the field. Tara Wallack matched her career-high with 12. Johanna Teder added 10 for the Cougars.

WSU hit 11 3-point field goals on Friday evening, going 11-for-23 from beyond the arc. Charlisse Leger-Walker and her sister Krystal Leger-Walker combine to go 6-for-12 from beyond the arc themselves.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Washington State scored on the games opening possession, but the Bears took a very early lead thanks to four quick points from Elsnitz and a jumper on the baseline from Lutje Schipholt. Leading 6-4 with 5:45 remaining in the opening period, the Cougars went on the first of two large first half runs. The first a 14-0 run to end the first quarter, giving WSU a 12-point lead.

A layup by Lutje Schipholt at the seven-minute mark in the second quarter cut the Cougars lead to nine. From there, WSU put the game away going on a 17-2 run to close out the half up 38-14. During that stretch, Cal was held to just one field goal over nine attempts, the Cougars responded by going 5-for-7 from the floor during the run.

UP NEXT
Cal returns to action next Friday when the Bears host Oregon State on January 7 at 7:00 p.m. Friday's contest against the Beavers will be televised on Pac-12 Network.