Washington State women’s basketball falls on the road at Penn, finishes nonconference schedule 1-12

PHILADELPHIA – Washington State’s women’s basketball team had one of its best shooting performances of the season, but the Cougs still couldn’t break through on the road against Penn, suffering a sixth straight loss to close out their dismal nonconference schedule.

The Cougars fell 67-62 on Friday at the historic Palestra to finish their nonconference slate with a 1-12 record, the team’s worst start in 23 years.

WSU posted its second-highest shooting percentage (48.1%) in a game this year, hit a season-high nine 3-pointers, shot a season-best 40.9% from beyond the arc, recorded a season-high 19 assists and limited its turnover count to 13, well below its average, but it wasn’t enough against the Quakers (8-3), one of the Ivy League’s top teams.

WSU erased a six-point deficit to tie the score at 34-34 at the half, but stumbled in the third and fell behind by eight points. The Cougs could never close the gap, trailing by as many as 13 with three minutes left. Guard Eleonora Villa made a 3 as time expired as the Cougars ended the game on an 8-0 run.

Villa had a game-high 21 points and forward Malia Ruud contributed 12 for the Cougs, who open West Coast Conference play Dec. 28 at home against Pepperdine.

Simone Sawyer and Katie Collins scored 15 apiece for Penn, which shot 45% from the field and 7 of 24 (29.2%) on 3s. The Quakers outrebounded WSU by nine and had three fewer turnovers.