WSU coach Kamie Ethridge optimistic about her team’s chances in WCC Tournament despite low seed: ‘I really like this group’
By Kamie Ethridge’s standards, her Washington State women’s basketball team has fallen short this season.
The Cougars’ five straight seasons of playing in a postseason tournament is in serious jeopardy.
The only way Washington State plays beyond the West Coast Conference Tournament is by winning said tournament. And to pull that off would be a monumental feat for a team that has struggled to find its way this season.
The Cougars are starting as far back in the WCC Tournament as possible. It would take six consecutive victories for the Cougars to win the WCC Tournament and earn an NCAA Tournament berth.
Back in reality, the Cougars will take one win Thursday. Ninth-seeded WSU (7-24) opens against 12th-seeded Seattle (5-24) at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
The winner advances to face No. 8 Pacific on Friday.
Even through the rough stretches, Ethridge has believed her team could beat anybody in the conference. The Cougars opened WCC play with a 66-63 win over No. 6 seed Pepperdine.
WSU did something it hasn’t done all season by stringing together back-to-back victories to conclude WCC play. The Cougars beat the team they will open against, Seattle, 69-55 and closed with a 57-50 victory over Saint Mary’s.
The Cougars beat Seattle twice. They topped the Redhawks 73-69 earlier in Seattle.
A number of things factored in WSU’s poor start this year. First, it didn’t help that the Cougs faced a challenging nonconference schedule. Second, Ethridge had to integrate transfers to replace the six players who departed last spring. Third, they’ve dealt with intermittent injuries throughout the year.
They’re as healthy as they’ve been all season.
Ethridge is excited about the WCC Tournament. It’s a step toward building for next year.
“It’s important for our future,” she said. “It’s important for every player in our program to want to perform at a higher level.”
WSU has been led by multitalented junior guard Eleonora Villa. Junior 6-foot-6 post Alex Covill has been saddled with injuries but is back and playing well. Sophomore wing Charlotte Abraham has been a steady influence and stepping up in a big way all season has been freshman wing Malia Ruud of Pasco.
Villa, who was named to the All-WCC second team on Tuesday, is averaging a team-leading 16.1 points, 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds; Covill has averaged 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17 games; Abraham is averaging 10.3 points and 6.2 rebounds; and Ruud chips in 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds.
“I’ve told you all year that I really like this group,” Ethridge said. “I like how they bounce back. When you lose you’re exposed a little bit. Everybody is frustrated with how things have gone. But they’ve been so good through the whole season.”