‘Equity. We wanted equity’: Washington State recognizes Title IX pioneers; women’s team beats UCLA in final seconds

PULLMAN – Washington State honored its Title IX pioneers Friday at halftime of the Cougar women’s basketball game against UCLA.

Two quarters later, one of those titans, WSU all-time leading scorer Jeanne Eggart Helfer, came racing off a chair on the baseline to dive into a mob of celebrating Cougars after Krystal Leger-Walker grabbed a rebound on her sister Charlisse’s missed step-back jumper and put up a tying shot with 1.7 seconds to play. Krystal Leger-Walker was fouled and followed with a free throw to give WSU a 66-65 win.

The Cougars are 15-8 overall, 7-5 in the Pac-12. UCLA slipped to 10-8, 5-5.

“We knew we had to rebound to score. We were all going to the boards,” Krystal Leger-Walker said.

“Just chuck it up and hope for the best. On the free throw, I was trying not to think at all.”

WSU coach Kamie Ethridge said she had all but conceded the game to the Bruins until Leger-Walker’s heroics.

“I thought there was not enough time for a second chance,” Ethridge said. “Then out of nowhere, she shows up and saves the day.”

WSU nursed a tenuous lead through into the fourth quarter, until UCLA’s Charisma Osborne hit a 3-pointer and followed with a free throw to put the Bruins ahead 48-47.

WSU trailed by as many as seven points, but the Cougars were able to get back into contention on a technical foul called against the UCLA bench with 4:03 to play. Osborne had piled into the basket support on an attempted drive. There was no foul called; the Cougars recovered the ball and headed downcourt until an official wheeled and called a technical on Bruins coach Cori Close, who had left the bench to protest.

Krystal Leger-Walker hit the technical free throws, and on the following possession she hit a couple more when Osborne fouled her, tying the score at 56-all.

The teams were tied at 63 with 50 seconds to play when Osborne got free for a court-length drive to give UCLA its final points and set up all the drama for Leger-Walker.

Osborne led all scorers with 23 points and Ilmari Thomas added 18 for the Bruins.

Krystal Leger-Walker scored 22 for WSU. Ula Motuga added 12 points and Bella Murekatete had 11.

In addition to Eggart Helfer, WSU honored former administrators and coaches Marcia Saneholtz, Sue Durrant and the late Jo Washburn, and former track and field athlete Karen Blair, the lead plaintiff in a landmark Title IX lawsuit. It helped form the foundation for Title IX enforcement when the Washington State Supreme Court found for the plaintiffs that schools had to treat all NCAA athletes equally, regardless of gender or sport.

Blair fondly recalled she was once referred to as a “gutsy freshman runner” during her time at WSU in the late 1970s. She pointed out she was one of many WSU former athletes and coaches involved in the suit.

“I just happened to be the first name. There were no Andersons. Blair was it,” she said.

Blair continues to be asked about the lawsuit, she said, especially when the 50-year-old Title IX marks 10-year anniversaries.

“Equity. We wanted equity,” she said.

WSU Athletics Director Pat Chun spoke at the halftime presentation.

“We stand on the shoulders of giants,” Chun said.

“You see the glory of Washington State athletics behind you,” he added, gesturing toward the women. “Go Cougs. Thank you.”

Two quarters later, one of the giants, Eggart Helfer, must have felt like she was back in uniform as she helped the Cougars celebrate their improbable win.