Washington State women face Utah Valley in first round of WNIT, hoping to build for next year

Mar. 23—With just one senior, it's obvious that the Washington State women's basketball team is using the postseason as a springboard for next season.

But, the Cougars aren't in any hurry to get to 2025-26. They'll be glad to play as long as they can now.

It begins Monday when Washington State (20-13) faces Utah Valley (19-12) at Beasley Coliseum. Tipoff in the Women's National Invitation Tournament second-round game is 6 p.m. Utah Valley beat Air Force 70-64 Friday.

Since they didn't learn who they would play until Friday evening, the Cougars spent the week working on themselves.

WSU coach Kamie Ethridge wants her younger players to realize development is a process and it doesn't happen overnight. She pointed to the seniors on Portland's team and specifically to Gonzaga graduate forward Yvonne Ejim.

"Realize what they became as fifth years or seniors," Ethridge said. "Ejim averaged like three points a game as a freshman and she is a force. So it's just the reality that it takes time and we have to continue to communicate that to our players.

"They're impatient, they want minutes, they want consistency, they want to know why it's not as easy as they thought it might be. It takes work. Trust the process and stay with it. It's OK if you're not great right now. Just wake up every single day and try to get better."

Ethridge is pleased that her players don't want the season to be over yet.

She said there are lessons that can be learned from the West Coast Conference tournament.

"We've talked about it all year — putting 40 minutes together," Ethridge said. "I want this tournament and any game we get to play to be a great experience for every player. I want to play with great energy. I want this team to feel like they're accomplishing something and very motivated trying to advance in this tournament."

WSU is in a postseason tournament for a fifth straight season under Ethridge. She likes that consistency, but just being in the postseason isn't the goal. The Cougars want to be shooting for the NCAA Tournament.

"Clearly the NCAA Tournament is what we want the standard to be," Ethridge said. "The WBIT (last year) was an amazing experience. (The WNIT) is a field made up of a lot of up-and-coming teams that we are kind of like, you know, that haven't set the world on fire but are really capable of winning any time they play somebody. It's a fantastic opportunity for us."

Topics

WSU women's hoops earns WNIT invite

Mar. 17—It's March, and the Cougars are not quite done playing basketball just yet. For the fifth straight year, the Washington State women's basketball team earned a postseason berth. WSU will ...
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
Alyvia Padgett leads Brandon Valley past Washington, back to AA state title game

Brandon Valley will now face O’Gorman for the Class AA state title for the second year in a row
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15
NMSU women fall to North Dakota State in 2nd round of WNIT

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — New Mexico State women’s basketball was handed a 68-65 loss by North Dakota State at the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex in Fargo, North Dakota on ...
Yahoo Sports - 18h
Campbell women rally to win WNIT opener

Campbell completed an eight-point fourth quarter comeback to knock off Coastal Carolina 57-55 in the first round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament Thursday night at the HTC Center. ...
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Brandon Valley cruises to South Dakota girls state basketball tournament victory over Pierre

Brandon Valley will face Washington in the semifinals at 7:45 p.m. MT on Friday.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
Louisville basketball outlasts Nebraska in Women's March Madness, faces TCU next

Jayda Curry led the way as Louisville basketball beat Nebraska in the first round of Women's March Madness bracket to advance in 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
'We stayed the course': Southern Indiana women's basketball advances in WNIT

USI advanced one step further than last year with a WNIT victory over Campbell
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Who does Michigan State basketball play next in NCAA tournament? Second round opponent, time, TV set

Michigan State basketball will face New Mexico on Sunday after beating Bryant in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Ohio State women March Madness: Buckeyes face Montana State to open 2025 NCAA Tournament

It’s Ohio State women's basketball vs. Montana State to open NCAA Tournament bracket. Here’s what to know about the first-round game in Columbus.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
UCLA rolls to another first-round March Madness win, 72-47 over Utah State

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. each scored 14 points and No. 7 seed UCLA routed 10th-seeded Utah State 72-47 on Thursday night to reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament for ...
Yahoo Sports - 4d
UCLA rolls to another first-round March Madness win, 72-47 over Utah State

Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. each scored 14 points and No. 7 seed UCLA routed 10th-seeded Utah State 72-47 to reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons
ABC News - 4d
Army bows to Lehigh in Patriot League women's basketball final, accepts berth in WNIT

Army bowed to Lehigh in the Patriot League women's basketball final. Black Knights secure first postseason berth since 2016 as they play in WNIT.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
Oklahoma State women's basketball will face South Dakota State to open March Madness

It’s Oklahoma State women’s basketball vs. South Dakota State in March Madness to open the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Here’s what to know about the first-round game in Storrs, Conn.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
Michigan State women's basketball gets 7-seed in March Madness, will play Harvard

Michigan State women's basketball (21-9) will be a 7-seed in the NCAA tournament and face Harvard in the first round.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
Michigan women's basketball a 6-seed in March Madness, will play Iowa State or Princeton

Michigan women's basketball (22-10) will be a 6-seed in the NCAA tournament and face the winner of Iowa State and Princeton in the first round.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
Vermont women's basketball will face NC State to open March Madness: Bracket update

It's UVM women's basketball vs. NC State in March Madness to open the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Here’s what to know about the first-round game in Raleigh
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
March Madness 2025: How to watch the UCLA vs. Utah State NCAA tournament game tonight

UCLA and Utah State will meet in the NCAA Tournament First Round — here's the scoop on how to watch tonight's game.
Yahoo Sports - 5d
Indiana's Shay Ciezki makes a dream come true in Women's March Madness win vs. Utah

Indiana women's basketball guard Shay Ciezki put up 16 points to help lead the Hoosiers to a first-round NCAA Tournament win over Utah.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
Ohio State women's basketball vs Montana State in NCAA Tournament first round

It's Ohio State women's basketball vs Montana State in the first round of March Madness. Follow for scores, NCAA Tournament updates from the game.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
South Dakota State basketball shocks Oklahoma State in March Madness, advances to NCAA second round

Brooklyn Meyer scored 19 points as South Dakota State basketball beat Oklahoma State in first round of March Madness bracket. The Jackrabbits face the University of Connecticut next in 2025 NCAA ...
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Cougars advance in WNIT behind Tuhina's clutch 3, Covill's big block

Mar. 25—PULLMAN — Washington State junior Astera Tuhina has a knack for achieving triumph amid disaster. And it's a trait that the Cougs have come to rely on. With the WSU women's basketball team ...
Yahoo Sports - 11h
UCLA dominates Utah State to set up NCAA tournament showdown with Tennessee

Eric Dailey Jr. and Skyy Clark each finish with 14 points as UCLA overcomes a temporary injury to Aday Mara to cruise to a 72-47 win over Utah State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
Utah will be the first state to ban fluoride in drinking water

Utah's governor intends to sign legislation making the state the first to ban fluoride in public water systems
ABC News - Mar. 10
GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL: Permian girls to face EP Franklin in bi-district round

Mar. 13—The Permian girls soccer team will face El Paso Franklin in the first round of the Class 6A Division I state playoffs next week. The Lady Panthers will face Franklin at 3 p.m. March 21 at ...
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
Kentucky women host NCAA Tournament games for first time in 8 years as they face Liberty

When fourth-seeded Kentucky tips off at home against No. 13 Liberty on Friday, it will be the first time the Wildcats have hosted the opening rounds since 2017. Georgia Amoore came to Lexington ...
Yahoo Sports - 5d
UCLA vs. Utah State odds, March Madness predictions, start time: 2025 NCAA Tournament picks from proven model

The SportsLine Projection Model has revealed its Utah State vs. UCLA picks for the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Thursday
CBS Sports - 4d
Recapping the Iowa State women's basketball 2024-25 season. What went right and wrong

Iowa State women's basketball's season ended with a loss vs Michigan in the NCAA Tournament first round. Here's a look back at the Cyclones' year.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
2025 Women's March Madness First Four scores: Columbia rallies past Washington, William & Mary will face Texas

Columbia and William & Mary both won NCAA Tournament games for the first time
CBS Sports - 4d
Iowa vs. Murray State: How to watch NCAA first round game, time, TV, streaming

The Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Murray State Racers in the first round of the Regional 4 in Spokane of the women's NCAA Tournament.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
H.S. Basketball: Three Wyoming Valley Conference teams still in hunt for state titles

Mar. 14—The Wyoming Valley Conference fared much better in the second round of the PIAA state basketball tournament than in the first round. All three teams — the Crestwood girls and the Hazleton ...
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
Clemson basketball faces familiar faces in March Madness vs McNeese State, including Will Wade

Clemson will face McNeese State in March Madness first round. The game will reunite Cowboys coach Will Wade with alma mater.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17
How to watch LSU women's basketball vs San Diego St today: Time, TV channel for Saturday

LSU women's basketball faces San Diego State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Here's how to watch including time, channel, TV and streaming
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Michigan women's basketball outshoots Iowa State in March Madness, advances to 2nd round

Jordan Hobbs scored 28 as Michigan women's basketball outscored Audi Crooks and Iowa State by 11 in the second half in March Madness first round.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
LSU women's basketball throttles San Diego State, advances to NCAA Second Round

LSU women's basketball took care of business vs. San Diego State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Here are five takeaways from the win.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
In Div. 5 final, Hopedale boys hoop readies for Pioneer Valley team that averages 70 ppg

Hopedale plays in its first title game in 25 years on Saturday against one of the two remaining unbeaten teams in the state: Pioneer Valley Regional
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
Who does Ohio State basketball play next in NCAA Tournament? Second round bracket update

The Ohio State women's basketball team has advanced to the NCAA Tournament's second round and has a March Madness matchup with the Tennessee Volunteers ahead.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
March Madness 2025: How to watch the Columbia vs. Washington women's game tonight

The Huskies face off with the Lions in this First Four NCAA women's basketball tournament matchup.
Yahoo Sports - 5d
ASK IRA: Is lack of first-round capital proving to be a major gaffe in Heat’s Jimmy Butler trade?

Q: It seems as if we are stuck in the NBA purgatory of not tanking/not elite for the foreseeable future. What is the theoretical/optimistic path forward in the next two to four years? What should ...
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14
Cara Consuegra's first season as Marquette women's coach ends in second round of WBIT

Cara Consuegra had a better-than-expected first season and has building blocks in Skylar Forbes and Halle Vice.
Yahoo Sports - 2d