No. 23 Washington State women’s basketball team loses for first time, 59-48 to Green Bay

From staff reports

CANCUN, Mexico – The Washington State women’s basketball team finally cooled off in Cancun.

In absorbing their first loss, the 23rd-ranked Cougars shot a season-worst 35% from the floor, including 22% on 3-pointers, and fell to Green Bay 59-48 at the Cancun Classic Invitational on Saturday.

WSU (7-1), held 29 points below its season scoring average, opened a 14-10 lead to start the game, but Green Bay rallied with a 12-2 second-quarter run to take a 30-25 lead.

The Cougars managed to tie the game at 36 on a three-point play by Charlisse Leger-Walker with 3:29 left in the third quarter. WSU missed five straight shots in the fourth quarter and saw a 43-39 deficit swell to 54-41.

Leger-Walker, named tournament MVP, scored 17 points to lead WSU. Tara Wallack added a season-high 16 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Cougars, joining Leger-Walker on the all-tournament team.

It was the second Top 25 win for Green Bay (4-2), which beat 22nd-ranked Creighton 65-53 before heading to Mexico.

WSU returns home on Wednesday to face Texas A&M–Commerce at 7 p.m.