Idaho wins WAC tourney opener

by From wire and news services
| March 8, 2012 8:15 PM

Krissy Karr scored a career-high 17 points, including two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, as the Idaho Vandals held off San Jose State 67-63 in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament Wednesday night at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Idaho (12-19) will play top-seeded Fresno State (26-5) in the semifinals Friday at 2:30 p.m.

Brittany Johnson scored 31 points for San Jose State (11-19), which pulled within two points in the closing seconds before Karr sealed it with her two free throws.

Idaho made 9 of 16 3-pointers in the first half in building a 41-24 halftime lead.

* PAC-12

Washington State 65, Oregon State 56: Brandi Thomas scored 17 points and Carly Noyes added 10 to lead the Cougars past the Beavers in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

The 11th-seeded Cougars (12-19) advanced to play No. 3 seed Southern California in a quarterfinal contest tonight at 7:15.

Ali Gibson had 19 points and Earlysia Marchbanks added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Beavers (18-12).

Oregon State trailed 32-27 at halftime but got within 45-44 on a free throw by Mollee Schwegler. It had three chances to take the lead, but committed two turnovers and missed a layup.

Washington State responded with an 11-3 run over the next 3:30. Noyes' layup ended the surge, giving the Cougars a 56-47 lead with 3:35 remaining, and the Beavers got no closer than seven points afterward.

Jazmine Perkins added six points, 10 rebounds and three assists for Washington State, which won a conference tournament game for the first time.

"I think this is a big deal for our seniors," said Thomas, a sophomore. "They have been working their tails off for four years now and it is finally paying off for them."