‘Keep us in the conversation’: Washington State adds another notch to historic season, clips No. 8 Arizona on memorable senior day

PULLMAN – Three seniors, including Washington State’s  Krystal Leger-Walker, were celebrated at midcourt before one of the more memorable wins in Cougar women’s basketball history.

There’s more history to be made this season. But when they depart Pullman, they’ll be leaving the program in good hands.

Coug juniors Johanna Teder and Bella Murekatete led an impressive shooting display in WSU’s 72-67 Pac-12 triumph over No. 8 Arizona on Sunday afternoon at Beasley Coliseum.

With two games remaining, the Cougars (18-8, 10-5) have matched an all-time high in single-season wins both overall and in Pac-12 play. They share second place in the Pac-12 standings and may have secured a second consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament with their upset of the Wildcats (19-5, 9-5), who lost to Stanford in last season’s national championship game.

“Hopefully everyone else across the nation can see this game and take us seriously and keep us in the conversation,” Leger-Walker said. “Because we definitely want to be there. We know we can compete with all these teams.”

Leger-Walker posted 12 points, five rebounds and four assists as WSU extended its winning streak to four and shot 54.2% from the field – a season-best in Pac-12 action.

“As a coach, our biggest job is to be getting better in February and this team is the first team in which I’ve felt like our pulse is really good in that direction,” coach Kamie Ethridge said. “We’re trending up and playing our best basketball right now. I like our disposition, and that has everything to do with the young ladies in our locker room.”

Teder poured in 21 points, shooting 7 of 12 from the floor and 5 of 7 from distance. Murekatete feasted inside, producing 16 points on 8 of 10. The younger Leger-Walker – sophomore Charlisse – contributed 15 points.

WSU knocked down over 50% of its field-goal tries in every quarter, went 9 of 16 from 3-point range and controlled the lead throughout the second half. The Cougars consistently found answers and held Arizona back by a possession until pulling away in the final two minutes.

“Everyone was so locked in. I know everyone wanted to send us out the right way,” Krystal Leger-Walker said, referring to fellow seniors Michaela Jones and Shir Levy.

“I’ll totally take the credit. I think everyone shot great because of us,” she added, laughing.

It may be true to some extent. Ethridge could sense a certain determination among her nonsenior players.

“I think this team felt total responsibility to be what those seniors needed, and we’ve said it before: ‘It’s our responsibility to finish this journey for them,’ ” the fourth-year coach said. “Our players are just so locked in about becoming a great team and being a great teammate every time they step into the gym. A lot of it has to do with those three players.”

Levy and Jones, both reserve guards, have been glue pieces on the Cougs’ roster since Ethridge’s rebuild on the Palouse began. Krystal Leger-Walker followed the coach from Northern Colorado, sat out one season because of transfer rules, then cemented her name in Cougar lore last year as the heart of the team’s NCAA Tournament run – the program’s second ever.

“She’s just a rock. She has it,” Ethridge said of Krystal Leger-Walker, a sixth-year collegian from New Zealand. “The voice she speaks with, the IQ she speaks with, the standard she sets on a day-to-day basis, it’s impressive. She has the respect of her teammates, never says the wrong thing.”

Leger-Walker made three nifty plays to help WSU create space in the final period. She broke a double team and assisted a Tara Wallack 3 as the shot clock expired early in the quarter, then buried a corner 3 and put in a reverse layup in the next two minutes. Arizona caught up after WSU’s only stretch of sluggish play – a 4:25 dry spell in the fourth – but a late scoring burst from Teder helped the hosts seal it.

“No one has shied away from that big moment,” Leger-Walker said.

The opponents traded the lead 11 times in a barnburner first half of fast-paced, efficient offense, but the Cougars sustained their hot shooting for longer.

Arizona also lost its post presence early in the fourth when All-Pac-12 forward Cate Reese sustained a shoulder injury. The Wildcats put four players in double figures and shot 47.3%.

“I loved our second-half performance, how we came out and got a lead and kept it,” Ethridge said. “It shows that our team is continuing to morph into whatever we need them to be to succeed. I’m thrilled for this team, thrilled for these seniors.”

WSU’s program is on a fast rise. The Cougs have upset three top-10 foes over the past two seasons. Ethridge sees fewer weak spots in this team than her last, which beat top-10 UCLA and Arizona and snapped a 30-year NCAA Tournament drought. WSU is more complete this year – with momentum to build on.

“Last year, there was a mindset, ‘Let’s surprise them,’” Teder said. “This year, we know what we’re capable of: ‘Let’s beat them.’ The growth shows itself.”