Cougs clinch No. 3 seed in WCC tournament with senior day win
Senior guard Tara Wallack had her 100th straight start
PULLMAN — There were tears in Washington State senior Tara Wallack’s eyes as she walked off the court and hugged each of her coaches, beginning with program leader Kamie Ethridge, for the last time in Pullman.
To celebrate their lone senior, the Cougars beat Saint Mary’s 72-62 on Saturday at Beasley Coliseum in West Coast Conference women’s basketball action. With the win, Wazzu (18-12, 13-6) clinched third place in the WCC and an automatic berth to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament in Las Vegas.
“I felt every emotion today,” Wallack said of senior day. “It was really hard to not cry during the game.”
Wallack totaled 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting with five assists and three rebounds in her 100th consecutive start.
The Cougars totaled four blocks to raise their season total to 187, surpassing their single season program-record total from last season by one.
Minutes removed from an emotional senior day ceremony, Wallack sank three shots, Eleonora Villa made a 3 and a 9-0 WSU run kept the Cougars on top 18-15 through the first quarter.
Junior Astera Tuhina scored eight of her 10 points in the second quarter and Wallack drained her final 3-pointer at Beasley Coliseum as the Cougs turned in a 20-10 second frame to lead by 13 at halftime.
Freshman Dayana Mendes led WSU with 16 points, the majority of which from a near spotless 10-for-11 showing at the foul line.
Fellow freshman Charlotte Abraham (10 points) and Villa (eight points) joined nine total Cougs in scoring.
Former Idaho star Kennedy Johnson had eight points for Saint Mary’s, which was led by Zeryhia Aokuso with 17.
WSU will play Pepperdine at 1 p.m. Thursday in Malibu, Calif., and in the WCC tournament quarterfinals at 2 p.m. March 9 in Las Vegas.
SAINT MARY’S (13-14, 9-9)
Clarke 2-5 0-0 4, Aokuso 8-14 1-1 17, Hunter 1-2 0-0 3, Johnson 3-5 2-3 8, Jones 0-8 6-7 6, Afeaki 1-2 2-2 4, Bernard 0-0 0-0 0, Shoff 0-1 2-2 2, Ennis 0-0 0-0 0, Foy 4-10 0-0 10, Hashemian-Orr 2-6 0-0 4, Murphy 1-1 2-4 4, Totals 22-54 15-19 62
WASHINGTON ST. (18-12, 13-6)
Mendes 3-5 10-11 16, Tuhina 3-5 2-2 10, Jenna Villa 1-6 0-0 2, Eleonora Villa 3-9 0-0 8, Wallack 5-8 1-2 12, Kpetikou 3-4 2-4 8, Abraham 3-5 2-2 10, Alsina 0-0 1-3 1, Chiu 0-3 0-0 0, Dart 0-1 0-0 0, Gardner 2-5 0-0 5, Totals 23-51 18-24 72
3-Point Goals_Saint Mary’s (Cal) 3-11 (Aokuso 0-1, Hunter 1-1, Jones 0-2, Shoff 0-1, Foy 2-6), Washington St. 8-20 (Tuhina 2-3, J.Villa 0-2, E.Villa 2-5, Wallack 1-2, Abraham 2-4, Chiu 0-1, Dart 0-1, Gardner 1-2). Assists — Saint Mary’s (Cal) 14 (Jones 5), Washington St. 14 (Wallack 5). Fouled Out — None. Rebounds — Saint Mary’s (Cal) 28 (Jones 6), Washington St. 34 (Mendes 6). Total Fouls — Saint Mary’s (Cal) 18, Washington St. 19. Technical Fouls — None. A — 1,467.
