Air Force Travels To Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois-Chicago
12/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2006
The Air Force women's basketball team begins a four-game roadswing this weekend against a pair of teams from the Horizon League. The Falcons visit Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Dec. 7, followed by a contest at Illinois-Chicago on Dec. 9.
Broadcast Info...
Both the Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Illinois-Chicago games will be broadcast live in the Colorado Springs area on KKML 1300. The broadcast will also be available on the internet at GoAirForceFalcons.com.
Jay Ritchie, in his 20th season of broadcasting Air Force athletics, will handle the play-by-play duties.
In addition, a free, live video webcast of the Illinois-Chicago game will be available on the Horizon League Network (HLN), accessible from the League's official website at www.horizonleague.org.
Coaches...
• Air Force is coached by Ardie McInelly (Boise State, 1982), in her sixth season at the helm of the Falcons' program. She has compiled an overall record of 37-110 while at the Academy and holds a career record of 114-172 (10 years). • Wisconsin-Milwaukee is coached by Sandy Botham, in her 11th season as coach of the Panthers. Botham holds a 168-125 record at UWM and a 190-129 career ledger (12th season). • Illinois-Chicago is coached by Lisa Ryckbosch, in her fifth year as head coach of the Flames. Ryckbosch holds a 62-60 career record at UIC.
Series Records...
• This week marks the first-ever meeting between Air Force and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. • Air Force and Illinois-Chicago will meet for the third time, with the Flames holding a 2-0 advantage in the series.
Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force finished second at their own tournament last weekend, defeating Yale, 67-55, before falling to Western Michigan, 71-54. The Falcons are now 3-4 on the season with five more non-conference games left on the slate.
Junior Alecia Steele is the Falcons' leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 13.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest. Meanwhile, Pamela Findlay is also scoring in double-figures, with 12.1 points per game. Lauren Henderson leads the team in assists with 4.1 per contest.
Scouting the Panthers...
Wisconsin-Milwaukee currently holds a 3-6 overall record, after falling to Marquette and Iowa State in its last two contests.
Traci Edwards paces the Panthers with 16.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, with Meredith Onson adds 10.2 points per contest.
Scouting the Flames...
Illinois-Chicago sits at 3-4 on the season, with a contest against Wisconsin slated for Thursday evening. The Flames have dropped three in a row, falling to Evansville, Northwestern and Northern Iowa.
The Flames are led by Jacquay Holmes (12.7 ppg) and LaShonda Grant (12.1 ppg), while Krystal Hugelier is also averaging in double-figures with 11.4 points per contest. Hugelier has also dished out a team-high 23 assists, while Nikki Grobecker is the Flames' leading rebounder with 6.9 boards per game.
How We Rate...
In the latest conference statistics released Dec. 4, Air Force ranks second in the MWC in free throw percentage (.704) and offensive rebounds (16.0) and ranks third in three-point field goal percentange (.337), rebounding offense (39.7), and rebounding defense (35.6).
Meanwhile, several Falcons rank among the conference's top-10 individual leaders in various categories:
Rank Stat
FG Pct.Pamela Findlay 8 .464
3PT FG Pct.Pamela Findlay 5 .393Letricia Castillo 7 .379Lauren Henderson 9 .350
3PT FG MadeLetricia Castillo T7 1.57Pamela Findlay T7 1.57
ReboundsAlecia Steele T2 9.7
Off. ReboundsAlecia Steele 1 5.0
Def. ReboundsAlecia Steele 9 4.71
AssistsLauren Henderson 2 4.14
In the Record Books...
Letricia Castillo continues to move up in the record books in more than one category. The senior captain currently sits in 14th place on the career scoring list with 931 points and is poised to become the first 1,000-point scorer in the Falcons' Division I history. In addition, Castillo also ranks fifth in both career three-point field goals made and attempted.
Also making her mark on Air Force's record books is junior Pamela Findlay. In addition to holding the Falcons' record for career three-point percentage (.424), she also ranks ninth in career three-pointers made.
Senior Homecoming...
This week will mark a special homecoming for two of the Falcons' four seniors. Jacki Novak, a native of Kewaunee, Wis., will return to her home state on Thursday when Air Force plays at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Two days later, the Falcons will face Illinois-Chicago, giving Andrea Taylor, a native of Sugar Grove, Ill., the chance to play near her hometown.
Air Force also celebrated another of its seniors when it traveled to the Great Alaska Shootout. It was a special outing for team captain Letricia Castillo, a native of Anchorage. Castillo attended Bartlett High School, the Falcons' host school for the week, and was named to the all-tournament team.
While three of the Falcons' seniors were able to make special trips home, Air Force did not have to plan anything for Dawn Higginbotham, who hails from Colorado Springs.
Against the Horizon League...
This weekend will mark the second and third games for Air Force versus teams from the Horizon League this season. The Falcons won their previous contest, a 62-61 victory over Butler at the Great Alaska Shootout.
Another Double-Double...
For the second straight year, Alecia Steele recorded a double-double in the Falcons' season-opener, notching 12 points and 10 rebounds against Wisconsin. She then followed that performance up with a double-double against Northern Colorado, finishing with a career-high 22 points, while adding 11 rebounds. Most recently, Steele notched a double-double in the championship game of the Air Force Classic, notching 19 points and a career-high tying 13 rebounds.
Steele now has 10 double-doubles in her career, more than any other player in Air Force history. Elycia Hall ranks second among the Falcons' Division I players, getting four double-doubles from 1996-98.
Steele's total of 10 career double-doubles also ranks first in the Mountain West Conference among active players. Ranking second is TCU's Lorie Butler-Rayford with eight.
Double-Double, Part Deux...
With her game-winning shot against Butler, junior Pamela Findlay recorded her first career double-double, finishing with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Findlay also posted a new career high in assists, dishing out seven assists in the contest.
Findlay backed that performance up with another double-double in the victory over Yale. Findlay notched a career-high 20 points, while adding 10 rebounds, in her second double-double of the year.
All-Tourney at the Air Force Classic...
A pair of Falcons received all-tournament accolades at the Air Force Classic. Pamela Findlay, who notched 20 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Yale, was named an all-tournament performer, along with Alecia Steele. Steele scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the championship loss to Western Michigan.
Next Up...
The Falcons continue their four-game road swing with a contest at in-state rival Denver on Dec. 13. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Magness Arena.
