Cougs Open Three-Game Week this Wednesday against Oregon State

Jan 25, 2022

PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State women's basketball team resumes play this week after 10 days away from competition due to COVID-19 safety procedures. The Cougars kick-off the first of three Pac-12 Conference games this week on Wednesday, Jan. 26, as WSU hosts Oregon State. Tip-off against the Beavers is set for 1 p.m. PT from Beasley Coliseum. The contest will stream live on WSUCougars.com and Pac-12 Plus.

STARTING FIVE
>> Wednesday's contest against Oregon State was originally scheduled to be played last Friday, Jan. 21, however the game was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Cougs' program.

>> Washington State will be seeking its third-straight win over Oregon State. WSU swept the season series against OSU last year. The Cougars knocked off the then-No. 21-ranked Beavers, 61-55, in Beasley on Dec. 19, 2020, then picked up a 77-75 double-overtime win in Corvallis on Jan. 24, 2021. The last time the Cougs beat the Beavers in three-straight games came back during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 campaigns.

>> Wednesday's matchup will serve as the 92nd all-time meeting between Washington State and Oregon State. It is the second-longest standing rivalry for WSU, as the Cougars and Beavers has played at least one game a season since 1975. OSU leads the all-time series 59-32 over the Cougs.

>> It will only be the second time in 2022 that the Cougars have played inside Beasley Coliseum when they take the court against OSU this Wednesday. Washington State has not played a game at home since Jan. 2 against No. 2/3-ranked Stanford. WSU is 5-1 at home this season and has won seven of its last eight games inside Beasley Coliseum dating back to last season.

>> Wednesday's game against Oregon State will be the first of three Pac-12 contests this week for Washington State. After battling the Beavers, the Cougars will begin the two-game Boeing Apple Cup Series against Washington. The first Apple Cup game of the weekend will take place in Pullman, as the Cougars host the Huskies this Friday in Beasley at 7 p.m. PT. The series then heads west, as WSU and UW will close out the Apple Cup weekend on Sunday in Seattle at 12 p.m. PT. Both Boeing Apple Cup Series games will air live on the Pac-12 Network.

Oregon State Tickets
Fan that purchased tickets for the originally scheduled game against Oregon State on Jan. 21 can still use that ticket to get into Wednesday's contest against the Beavers. Fan can purchase tickets for Wednesday's game by clicking the link here.

Racking Up the 20-Point Performances
Sophomore Charlisse Leger-Walker has collected the most 20-point games in the Pac-12 this season, as she has had seven games this season with 20-or-more points. In her last outing, Leger-Walker scored 24 points at UCLA. In her career, Leger-Walker has eclipsed the 20-point mark in 19 games.

Bella Blocks
Junior Bella Murekatete recently broke into the top-10 in career blocks in program history, as her 84 career swats are the ninth-most in program history.

Ula Heating Up From Deep
Senior Ula Motuga has been on one of the best stretches of her career from behind the arc of late. The forward has gone 8-of-12 (.667) from behind the arc over the last three games, which includes a career-high four 3-pointers at Southern California on Jan. 14.

Dishing It Out
Redshirt fifth-year senior Krystal Leger-Walker has handed out four-or-more assists in four of her last fives games. The point guard is currently second in the Pac-12 in total assists with 75.

Scouting the Beavers
Oregon State comes to Pullman looking to extend its winning streak to three games, as the Beavers are coming off wins at Washington (47-41) and then No. 22-ranked Colorado (69-66 OT). OSU is 9-4 overall this season and 2-1 in Pac-12 Conference play. The Beavers picked up nine votes in this week's USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.

OSU is led by sophomore Talia von Oelhoffen, who is averaging 13.3 points per game. The 5-11 guard is shooting 38.1 percent from the floor and is dishing out 3.2 assists per game. Redshirt senior Taya Corosdale has seen an uptick in production in Pac-12 play, as she is averaging 13.3 points per game through three conference games. Junior Taylor Jones is also averaging double-digit points on the year at 12.4 points per game. However, she has not appeared in a game since Dec. 19.

As a team, Oregon State is averaging 67.4 points per game, while shooting 41.9 percent from the floor as a team. OSU is knocking down 35.0 percent of its attempts from behind the arc. Defensively, the Beavers are allowing 58.2 points per game. Teams are shooting 34.9 percent against Oregon State and are posting a 32.5 3-point shooting percentage against them. The Beavers post a +10.7 margin on the boards, as OSU is pulling down 43.2 rebounds per game.

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