PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) Ruth Hamblin scored 17 points and Sydney Wiese had 11 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter to help ninth-ranked Oregon State rally past Washington State 54-45 on Sunday.
The Beavers (20-3, 11-1 Pac-12) won their 10th straight game, but only after erasing a 34-28 deficit at the end of three quarters. Oregon State trailed 24-22 at the half and did not take the lead for good until Weise made the second of her three fourth-quarter 3-pointers with 4:59 left.
Standout freshman Borislava Hristova led Washington State (12-11, 3-9) with 22 points. No one else scored more than seven points for the Cougars, who have lost six in a row.
The Beavers shot 35 percent from the field and had 17 turnovers. The Cougars sank just 32 percent of their shots and had only four assists.
Oregon State was uncharacteristically sloppy in the first half, turning the ball over 11 times and shooting just 33 percent from the field. The Beavers stayed close thanks largely to their usual stingy defense. Two emphatic blocked shots by Hamblin early in the game forced the Cougars to alter their shot selection.
TIP-INS
Oregon State: Entering Sunday play, the Beavers led NCAA Division I in field-goal percentage defense (30.9) and defensive rebounds per game (33.0). The Beavers were third in 3-point field goal percentage defense (23.8) and blocked shots per game (6.5). Individually, Jamie Weisner was 11th in 3-point shooting percentage (44.2) and 12th in free-throw shooting percentage (88.3). Ruth Hamblin ranked 14th in blocked shots per game (3.0).
Washington State: Seniors Taylor Edmonson, Mariah Cooks and Alexis Williamson made their first starts of the season for the slumping Cougars. Missing from the starting lineup for the first time were team scoring leader Borislava Hristova, Louise Brown and Caila Hailey.
UP NEXT
Oregon State hosts Colorado on Friday.
Washington State visits UCLA on Friday.
