PULLMAN, Wash. - The Washington State women's basketball team beat Idaho Thursday night, 82-53.

The Vandals struggled from the outset. By the second media timeout the Cougars had rolled to a 23-8 lead.

From that point on, the Cougars did fall from their soaring 78.6 field goal percentage (they finished at .442, compared to the Vandals' .345). Nevertheless, the Cougars never allowed the Vandals back in the game.

By halftime, the Vandals were down 47-24, thanks largely to a 27-13 rebounding deficit. Forward Bianca McCall had scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds. She finished with 16 and 10. She also had four blocks.

A letdown, obviously, for the Vandals and head coach Mike Divilbiss.

"We chose not to play," Divilbiss said. "They had 13 missed shots in the first half. 10 rebounds. That's called throw it up, fetch it."

Guard Jessica Perry led the Cougars with 20 points. Of those, 13 came in the first half, when the game was still competitive. Four of her five steals also came in the first half.

Autumn Fielding scored 20 points on 7-17 shooting. Heather Thoelke was the only other Vandal in double figures. She scored 10 and added five assists and seven rebounds.

"I don't think we came in with the right mindset," Thoelke said. "We just weren't as focused as we should be."

Divilbiss hopes this loss will serve as some kind of message for his players, who are facing the final week of the Big West regular season. They play Pacific on the road Thursday.

"I'm not going to let one setback make me doubt this team," Divilbiss said. "They gave when a lot of teams were checking in."