College women: Murekatete sets career rebound record in WSU loss to Utah

From wire and news services and local reports

PULLMAN — Washington State dropped its second straight game following the loss of star guard Charlisse Leger-Walker as Alissa Pili scored 15 points to lead five players in double figures for No. 20 Utah, which took over in the fourth quarter to beat the Cougars 73-61 on Sunday before 1,700 at Beasley Coliseum.

Leger-Walker suffered a torn ACL in last Sunday’s win at then-No. 2 UCLA. WSU lost at home to No. 6 Colorado on Friday.

Sunday, however, proved to be a record-setting day for WSU’s Bella Murekatete, a fifth-year senior from Rwanda and Genesis Prep Academy in Post Falls.

Murekatete and Eleonora Villa had 15 points apiece to lead the Cougars (15-8, 4-6 Pac-12 Conference). Murekatete grabbed the 900th rebound of her career to move to the top of WSU's all-time list. She passed Kate Benz (2003-07), and finished with four rebounds for a career total of 903.

Villa was 3 for 4 from beyond the arc. Tara Wallack totaled 10 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double this season.

Isabel Palmer had two baskets and Jenna Johnson sank a 3-pointer in a 9-2 run to begin the fourth quarter as the Utes (17-6, 7-4) pushed their advantage to 64-54 and never looked back.

Pili sank 6 of 10 shots with a 3-pointer for Utah, adding seven rebounds and three assists. Palmer finished with 14 points off the bench on 6-for-8 shooting with two 3-pointers. Johnson and Kennady McQueen both buried three shots from beyond the arc, scoring 13 apiece. Johnson added eight rebounds and three assists, while McQueen had four boards and four assists. Ines Vieira hit two of the Utes' 13 3-pointers and scored 10.

Vieira had six points in the first quarter to help Utah take an 18-14 lead.

Pili had four points in a 9-0 run and the Utes upped their advantage to 29-16 with 5:25 left in the second quarter. Wallack hit two 3-pointers, Villa sank a 3-pointer and two free throws and Aster Tuhina buried a 3 at the buzzer as Washington State used an 18-5 run to knot the score at 34 at halftime.

Johnson, McQueen and Maty Wilke all scored five and Utah took a 55-52 lead into the final quarter.

Washington State, in the midst of a four-game homestand, plays California on Friday and Stanford on Sunday.