Washington State women's basketball team put up a fierce fight against the 11th-ranked Utah team on December 30th, despite being shorthanded. Although the Cougars trailed by 20 points with just a minute to go before halftime, they finished strong with two points, trailing by only 16 points at the break.

In the third quarter, WSU came out strong with an 8-2 run, bringing the deficit down to 10 points after a layup from senior Bella Murekatate. Then, in the fourth quarter, the Cougars continued to fight back, going on a 15-2 run and ultimately tying the game at 62-all after fifth-year senior Ula Motuga sank a pair of free throws with 2:22 left to play.

Both teams traded free throws, and with only 51 seconds left, the score was tied at 66-66. Utah managed to take a three-point lead at 69-66 after making three of four free throws. The Cougars had a chance to tie the game with a 3-pointer in the final seconds, but their shot missed and Utah grabbed the rebound. The Utes secured their victory with a pair of free throws, and the final score was 71-66 in their favor.