Preview and gamethread: WSU takes on Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament

Cougar women’s basketball (15-15, 9-9 Pac-12) takes on the Oregon Ducks (15-14, 6-12 Pac-12) in the first round of the 2014 Pac-12 tournament in Seattle, Wash. WSU is looking to capture its second-straight victory over the Ducks and its third-straight victory in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament.

The last time these two squads met, the Cougs outscored Oregon 64-45 in the second half en-route to a 108-88 Senior Day victory at Beasley Coliseum. Thanks to a pressure defense from WSU, the Cougs were able limit the number of three point attempts that Oregon shot – the Ducks "only" shot 32 three pointers – and forced 21 turnovers.

Washington State also benefited from controlling the boards on the defensive end of the court, the Cougs rebounded 70 percent of the Ducks’ misses. This helped to limit the Ducks’ second chances and when that is added to the high number of turnovers; it is easy to understand how the Cougs blew out the highest scoring team in the country.

Oregon’s Jillian Alleyne is the player that the Cougs are going to have to contain if they are going to pick up the victory tonight against the Ducks. Alleyne currently leads the Pac-12 with 26 double-doubles – including two against the Cougars.

Offensively, the Cougs are going to continue to need to get the ball in the hands of All-Pac-12 guards Tia Presley and Lia Galdeira. Those two players combined for 62 of WSU’s 108 points when these two squads last met. That being said, it wasn't all on the two guards as Shalie Dheensaw (12 points) and Mariah Cooks (13 points) also scored double-digits.

There are two Cougars that have a chance at cracking 1,000 career points tonight versus Oregon: senior Sage Romberg is 13 points away, and sophomore Lia Galdeira is 27 points away.

Tip off time: 6:00 pm

Radio: KUGR.org – Kyle Sherman and I will be on the call

TV: Pac-12 Networks