The WSU women’s basketball team had their first loss and first victory of the season with a final score of 72-60 Friday against Penn State (loss) and 72-60 Sunday against UNC Wilmington (win).
Penn State opened the game with a 10-2 run. However, the Cougars came back during the rest of the first half. WSU took advantage of 17 first-half turnovers, scoring 12 points off the turnovers and five offensive fouls against PSU.
Sophomore redshirt guard/forward Sage Romberg responded to the opening shots by Penn State by scoring on three straight possessions. While senior redshirt guard April Cook started and 8-0 run with a jump shot. Afterwards senior redshirt guard Rosetta Adzasu followed with a pair of driving layins and sophomore redshirt forward/center Hana Potter added a jump shot to tie the game at 16-16 in the first half.
WSU increased the defensive pressure in the first half. Freshman redshirt guard Tia Presley with a jump shot brought the Cougars their first lead of the game with the scoreboard showing 21-20.
With 2:57 remaining WSU lead Penn State again with 33-27 from a successful 10-1 run. Going into halftime, senior redshirt guard Jazmine Perkins scored a successful layup just before the buzzer bringing the score to 38-35 in favor of the Cougars.
WSU came into the second half strong with senior redshirt Rosie Tarnowski scoring the Cougars first five points. However as the second half progressed Penn State slowly tied the game 44-44. With 12:20 left in the second half, the game was still close, but in favor of the Cougars 55-53.
The teams exchanged the lead, going back and forth until there was 7:12 left in the second half. At that time, Penn State increased their defense and stopped WSU from successful landing their field goals. The Lions scored the game’s last 13 points in this time frame, beating the Cougars in the process. WSU finished the game with a field goal percentage of 30.5.
UNC Wilmington (UNCW) came out Sunday and began their game against WSU by scoring 15 points and taking the early lead. The Cougars responded with a 7-0 run that included a drive to the basket by Presley and a jump shot from redshirt sophomore guard Ireti Amojo, closing the gap and bringing the score to 16-15 in the first half.
The lead exchanged between UNCW and WSU as the first half progressed. However, at the end of the first half the Cougars scored a couple of baskets that included a jump shot by Romberg bringing the score to 33-30, in favor of WSU.
The Cougars opened the second half with a 14-2 run, with the scoreboard showing 44-35. This run was accomplished with a layin by Perkins and a jump shot by redshirt junior center Carly Noyles.
WSU increased the gap midway through the second half by using tough defense and successful executing offensive plays. The Cougars forced 27 UNCW turnovers during the course of the game and finished the game with a field goal percentage of 48.3.
The Cougars will be tipping off next against the University of Wisconsin this Friday. Then WSU will tip off against South Dakota State University Sunday.
