NCAAW Preview: No. 8 UCLA looks for a third-straight win as it faces No. 25 Washington State

The No. 8 UCLA Bruins welcome the No. 25 Washington State Cougars at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. The Bruins have won their last two games but have only played twice since Jan. 1 as COVID-19 has forced postponements. The Cougars are playing their second game ever in the Top 25 and will be looking to upset another Pac-12 foe after suffering an upset in overtime against the USC Trojans on Friday.

UCLA seems to be in a pretty good spot against Washington State. The Bruins have not dropped a game against the Cougars since Jan. 2017 and have won their last five meetings.

Michaela Onyenwere should be the prime focus for the Cougars on defense. The senior forward is averaging 18.7 points and 8.4 rebounds this season and has scored more than 15 points in six-straight games. Sophomore guard Charisma Osborne is scoring 17 points per contest and has scored 22 points in back-to-back games.

The Cougars’ are led by a fantastic true freshman guard out of New Zealand Charlisse Leger-Walker, who scored 29 points in a losing effort against the Women of Troy. C. Leger-Walker has reached double figures in every game this season and has surpassed 20 points five times. Her sister, Northern Colorado senior transfer Krystal Leger-Walker, is scoring 12.1 points per game in what will be her only season with the Cougars.

Here’s what to expect from the matchup and how to watch:

Game Information

No. 25 Washington State Cougars (7-2, 5-2 Pac-12) vs. No. 8 UCLA Bruins (7-2, 5-2 Pac-12)

When: Sunday, Jan. 17 at 2:00 p.m. ET

Where: Pauley Pavillion in Los Angeles, CA

How to watch/listen: Pac-12 Networks/Radio: UCLA Bruins or Washington State Audio

What to watch: Onyenwere and Osborne are the players that the Cougars will need to focus on if they want to stay in this one. Ula Motuga and Bella Murekatete will be tasked with guarding the rim against the experienced post players of UCLA. Rebounding will be a key factor as well.