University of San Francisco Athletics

PULLMAN, Wash. — Host Washington State started hot in the first quarter Thursday and kept the momentum rolling through the game, as the San Francisco women's basketball team fell on the road to the Cougars, 91-61, at Beasley Coliseum.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Francisco came out cold in the first quarter, while Washington State was everything but. USF shot just 5 for 18 (27.8 percent) in the opening frame while the Cougars were 10 for 17 (58.8 percent) from the floor, including 3 of 6 from deep. That helped WSU build a 15-point lead at 27-12 through the first 10 minutes of the game.
   
• The Cougars' hot shooting got even better in the second quarter, as they bumped up their shooting percentage in the frame to 66.7 percent (12 for 16), to make it a 62.9 percent clip in the first half. Washington State's lead grew to 61-26. Meanwhile, the Dons' shooting improved in the second quarter, but they turned the ball over more than twice as many times as they did in the first (10 compared to 4), and that led to 16 points off turnovers for Washington State in the second quarter alone.
   
• San Francisco finally quieted the Cougars' shooting in the third quarter, holding them to just a 33.3 clip. But turnovers continued to plague the Dons, as nine more giveaways in the third led to 10 more points for Washington State as it held a 78-42 lead through three periods.
   
• Marta Galic hit three 3-pointers in the game, including one in the fourth quarter, to give her a season-high 14 points. San Francisco had three players score in double figures, including Galic, Kia Vaalavirta with 11 and Julia Nielacna with 21 points.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 21: Nielacna logged her second 20-point game of the season with 21 points on 10 for 14 shooting. She also had a team-high six rebounds and threw in an assist as well.
• 37: Washington State took full advantage of the Dons' turnovers, scoring 37 of their 91 points off of USF's 28 giveaways. In comparison, San Francisco had just five points off of WSU's 11 turnovers.
• 37: San Francisco outrebounded Washington State 37-35, its most rebounds in the last four games. USF is now 1-3 this season when outrebounding its opponent.

COMING UP

• The Dons' Pacific Northwest road trip continues on Saturday when they travel to Moscow, Idaho, to face the University of Idaho at 2 p.m. Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.