Leger-Walker scores 17; #24 Wash. St. Women Beat Prairie View A&M

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (AP) — Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 13 of her 17 points in the first half, Astera Tuhina added 13 points and three steals and No. 24 Washington State beat Prairie View 81-43 Sunday night.

Washington State (5-0) is off to its best start since the 2016-17 team, which later lost nine consecutive games during Pac-12 play and finished 14-16 overall, won its first five games.

Bella Murekatete scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Beyonce Bea added 10 points and eight rebounds for WSU. The Cougars made 32 of 64 from the field, scored 22 points off 22 Prairie View (3-2) turnovers and outscored the Panthers 16-4 in second-chance points.

Ryann Payne, the only PVAMU player to score in double figures, finished with 14 points.

Leger-Walker hit a 3-pointer a minute into the game to open the scoring and spark a 9-0 run, Eleonora Villa made a layup with 4:34 left in the first quarter that made it 13-3 and the Cougars led by double figures the rest of the way.

Washington State took its largest lead of the game when Alex Covill made a layup to cap the scoring with 1:07 remaining.

Washington State travels Mexico for matchups against Maryland, UMASS and Wisconsin-Green Bay at the Cancun Challenge, beginning Thursday against the Terrapins. Prairie View is off until Nov. 27, when the Panthers play Incarnate Word in the last of three straight home games.