The WSU women’s basketball team lost to the University of Washington 60-51. WSU is now 9-8 overall and 3-2 in the Pac-12.
“Just disappointing effort especially in the first half,” said Head Coach June Daugherty. “I thought that we were not ourselves, we didn’t play with the intensity and the focus that we normally have displayed all year.”
The Cougars began the first half with a promising three-point shot made by redshirt senior guard and forward Rosie Tarnowski, but within three minutes UW tied the score.
For the next few minutes, the Huskies and the Cougars scored on both sides of the court, neither being able to pull away a lead. WSU managed a 5-2 run that put them in the lead 11-8 with 13:02 remaining in the first half.
UW answered back quickly with a free throw and jumper that tied the game for the fourth time.
“I didn’t think that we played with a high level of energy the first 20 minutes at all,” Daugherty said. “Our rotations were late defensively and we gave up way to many open looks.”
Beginning at 10:55 remaining in the first half, a successful three-point made by UW sparked an 11-4 run for the Huskies.
“I think that when we got out there and (UW) made a little run it kind of shook us up a little bit,” said redshirt senior guard April Cook. “And we couldn’t pick up our energy from there.”
At 4:39 remaining in the first half, the Cougars made an attempt at a comeback when they ended the UW run with a jumper by redshirt sophomore guard and forward Brandi Thomas.
Despite the Cougars efforts, the Huskies began a 13-5 run that had the scoreboard showing 38-23 UW as the teams went into halftime.
“I thought the second half we picked it up,” Daugherty said. “I still didn’t think that we played as hard as we could play.”
Coming into the second half Tarnowski made a jumper that brought back the Cougar momentum. WSU had a 12-2 run for the first nine minutes of second-half gameplay. When UW finally succeeded in a layup the scoreboard showed 42-35 UW.
“It was good that we were able to get it down to 7 or 8,” Daugherty said.
Within five minutes the Huskies widened the scoreboard gap with a successful 12-5 run against the Cougars. WSU ended their run with a jumper by redshirt sophomore guard and forward Sage Romberg. The jumper started a comeback for the Cougars as they kept the Huskies from scoring during an 8-0 run. With a little more than a minute on the clock the scoreboard showed 55-48 UW.
However fouls called in the last minute of play gave UW free throw attempts and sealed their victory as well.
“I just think that before the game we talked about how we were number one in the Pac-12 for defense and you know the first half we didn’t play like it at all,” Tarnowski said. “And honestly I think that was the ball game.”
Tarnowski said she was proud of how the team performed in the second half, but for the overall game the team performed poorly.
“We got to find some answers offensively right now and we will,” Daugherty said. “To get back in the gym and get it fixed, that’s what we’re about.”
The Cougars will travel down to California to face their next opponent Stanford. Tip off will be at 7 p.m. on Jan. 19.
