CEDAR CITY, Utah (Interstat) — The Southern Utah Thunderbirds used a dominant performance on the glass and a balanced scoring attack to hand the Washington State Cougars their third consecutive loss to open the season, 77-64, in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Centrum Arena.

The Thunderbirds improved to 2-0, while the Cougars fell to 0-3.

Southern Utah’s control of the game was established through a significant rebounding advantage, particularly on the offensive end where they grabbed 13 boards compared to Washington State’s four. This led to numerous second-chance opportunities and helped the Thunderbirds build a steady lead despite both teams committing 12 turnovers.

The game was closely contested through the first quarter, with Southern Utah holding a narrow 21-19 lead. The momentum shifted decisively in the second period as the Thunderbirds’ defense clamped down, holding Washington State to just nine points. Southern Utah took a 34-28 advantage into halftime.

Washington State, led by Eleonora Villa’s game-high 21 points, managed to keep pace at times, but could never mount a sustained run to seriously threaten the Thunderbirds’ lead in the second half. Southern Utah answered every Cougar push, matching their 19-point third quarter and then pulling away with a 22-point fourth.

Brooklyn Fely was instrumental in the Thunderbirds’ victory, recording a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. She also added three assists and a block. Sierra Chambers facilitated the offense effectively, dishing out six assists to go with her 17 points. Ava Uhrich just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, and Kortney Doman also chipped in 11 points.

For Washington State, Villa’s 21 points came with four assists in 39 minutes of action. Malia Ruud provided a scoring spark with 14 points, and Charlotte Abraham controlled the defensive glass with 10 rebounds while adding nine points.

Southern Utah’s offensive efficiency was a key differentiator. The Thunderbirds scored 77 points on 72 possessions for an offensive rating of 106.2, while the Cougars managed 64 points on 70 possessions for a rating of 91.3. Southern Utah also dominated scoring in the paint, outscoring Washington State 40-26.

The game’s outcome defied the pregame statistical projections from Interstat’s ELO system, which had given Washington State a 92.80 percent probability to win.

The announced attendance at Centrum Arena was 423.

Washington State will look for its first win of the season when it opens its home schedule against Stanford on Friday, Nov. 14. Southern Utah hits the road for its next contest, facing Eastern Washington on Thursday, Nov. 13.