Murekatete helps WSU women win at No. 21 Oregon
ERIC EVANS/GoDucks.com Tara Wallack (1) of Washington State defends as Endyia Rogers (4) of Oregon drives to the basket on Sunday in Eugene, Ore.
From wire and news services
EUGENE, Ore. — Former Genesis Prep Academy star Bella Murekatete scored 20 points, Jessica Clark scored six of her career-high 14 in overtime and Washington State defeated No. 21 Oregon 85-84 on Sunday before 6,900 at Matthew Knight Arena, the Cougars' first conference road win over a ranked team since 1998.
Washington State won despite giving up a 14-point lead in the final four minutes, allowing the tying free throws with 0.1 left in regulation and surviving an Oregon shot in the closing seconds of overtime.
The win marks the first time the Cougars have defeated a ranked team on the road since Nov. 30, 2013, when Washington State won at No. 10 Nebraska. It is also the first time since WSU's win at No. 10 Arizona back on Jan. 8, 1998, that the Cougs have defeated a ranked Pac-12 team on the road.
"I can't even express how happy and excited I am for this team,” WSU coach Kamie Ethridge said. “I told the team before the game that it feels different with our team, with how they respond to adversity this season. To play so well against a tremendous Oregon was great for us. We played so well in the first quarter, then we laid an egg in the second quarter, then get back into it in the third and took a lead and built on it in the fourth. We messed up plenty in the fourth to allow them to get back into it. The team showed a lot of maturity and poise and it makes us really proud."
The Cougars never trailed in the extra session that started with a Clark layup for a 78-76 lead. Charlisse Leger-Walker made it 85-81 with a free throw with 25 seconds to go.
Te-Hina Paopao hit a 3 for the Ducks and then the Cougars threw the ball away, giving Oregon a chance to win with 12.8 seconds to go. Paopao's shot rolled off the rim and Johanna Teder corralled the rebound as time ran out.
Leger-Walker scored 17 points for Washington State (13-3, 3-3 Pac-12 Conference), Teder had 15 and Ula Motuga had 14 with 10 rebounds. Murekatete had seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
Endyia Rogers scored 33 points, making 6 of 8 3-point attempts, for Oregon (13-5, 4-3), Chance Gray added 22, Paopao 11 and Grace VanSlooten 10.
Washington State, which trailed by 10 midway through the third quarter, opened the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run for a 63-53 lead. It was 71-57 with 4:16 to go but after making 14-straight shots they missed their last four and the Ducks went on an 11-2 run to get within five.
The Cougars, who played poorly down the stretch with six turnovers in the last four minutes, made 2 of 3 free throws for a 76-71 lead with 7.8 seconds left. Then Rogers hit a 3, the Cougars turned it over on an inbounds pass and Murekatete fouled VanSlooten as time was running out.
WSU snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Ducks, as Washington State picked up its first win over Oregon since beating the Ducks 75-59 on Jan. 1, 2017, in Pullman. It was WSU’s first win at Matthew Knight Arena since Jan. 18, 2015.
Washington State is now 20-72 all-time against Oregon.
WSU plays host to USC on Friday.