Game day thread and links for Arizona’s women’s basketball vs Washington State

Arizona women’s basketball escaped the upset bid by Washington on Friday evening. Things don’t get easier with Washington State coming to McKale Center on Sunday.

The biggest question heading into this weekend’s games was whether the Cougars would have star guard Charlisse Leger-Walker. The junior has had to return to her native New Zealand twice this season due to family issues occurring at home. Those issues have forced her to miss four conference games.

Even without her, the Cougs can be a threat. At the end of December, they fell to then-No. 11 Utah by just five points at Beasley Coliseum. Last weekend, they hosted then-No. 9 (and current No. 8) UCLA, losing by just seven points without her.

This weekend, they didn’t have to face the possibility of trying to beat a Top 25 team without their primary ball handler, though. Leger-Walker appeared in WSU’s game against Arizona State on Friday. The Cougars handled the Sun Devils—who are now 0-9 in Pac-12 play—by the score of 61-57.

Let’s chat!

Washington State Cougars (14-6, 4-5 Pac-12) @ No. 19/14 Arizona Wildcats (16-4, 6-3 Pac-12)

When: Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023 at 12 p.m. MST

Where: McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz.

TV: Pac-12 Arizona

Streaming: Streaming is available via the Pac-12 Now app or online. Both options require a subscription via a TV provider. Streaming is also available with a subscription to a TV package that includes the Pac-12 Network via Sling, Fubo, or Vidgo.

Radio: Listen to the call by Derrick Palmer online on The Varsity Network or on the radio at KTUC 1400 AM.

Stats: Arizona Live Stats

Pac-12 standings: Arizona is tied with UCLA for fourth in the Pac-12 standings with 6-3 records. The Bruins would edge out the Wildcats for the fourth seed in the Pac-12 Tournament if the season ended today because they are 2-0 over USC. UA has yet to play the Women of Troy and will only face them in the Galen Center this season. Arizona also only plays UCLA once this season, traveling to Pauley Pavilion.

The two teams ahead of the Wildcats and Bruins (Utah and Colorado) as far as records go have only played eight Pac-12 games, but each is credited with a win by forfeit over ASU. CU’s overtime victory over UCLA on Friday technically put the Buffs in second place right now, but things could change if Utah also defeats the Bruins today.

Washington State is presently 8th in the Pac-12 with a 4-5 record. They are just behind the Oregon Ducks.

Rankings: The Wildcats are ranked No. 19 by the Associated Press and No. 14 in the WBCA/USA Today coaches poll. The Cougars are not ranked in either major poll.

UA is No. 26 both in the NET and in Her Hoop Stats’ rankings. Washington is No. 44 in the NET and No. 49 according to HHS.

Projections: Her Hoop Stats projects Arizona to win regardless of where the teams play. In McKale Center, the stats service has the Wildcats holding a 75.6 percent win probability. Arizona is projected to have a winning margin of eight points and the point total is projected to be 130.7.

As for odds, the only book with any odds for women’s college basketball games today is Bovada. It has a single game available—Louisville against Syracuse. You can find odds for cornhole, badminton, cricket, darts, e-sports, Swedish floor ball, Italian futsal, Gaelic football and curling, chess, Aussie Rules, lacrosse, rugby, and table tennis on U.S. sports book DraftKings, though.