Air Force Academy
BYU
Air Force Drops 59-46 Contest To BYU
1/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2007
USAFA, Colo. - Despite being led by Alecia Steele's game-best 16 points and 14 rebounds, the Air Force women's basketball team fell to visiting BYU, 59-46, Saturday at Clune Arena. The Falcons fall to 4-9 on the season, 0-2 in the MWC, while the Cougars improve to 10-4, 1-0 in the conference.
Steele (Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.), whose 14 rebounds were a new career best, scored Air Force's first four points of the second half to put the Falcons on top. A basket by senior Jacki Novak (Kewaunee, Wis.) then gave the Falcons their largest advantage of the game. However, BYU managed to get back on top and never relinquished the lead. While the Falcons were able to hold the Cougars to 38 percent shooting in the second stanza, they gave up eight offensive rebounds, giving BYU numerous chances to score.
The game opened slowly for both teams, remaining scoreless for over three minutes. The Cougars had their largest lead of the first half at 18-12, but Air Force was able to come back to tie the game at 23-23 with just under two and a half minutes left in the period. The Cougars then scored the last three points of the half to take a 26-23 advantage into the break.
In addition to Steele's 16 points, Pamela Findlay (Jr., Glenview, Ill.) added nine points and Novak had eight. Meanwhile, Shawnee Slade and Dani Wright led the Cougars with 13 points each.
The Falcons wrap up their homestand on Thursday, Jan. 11, when they host TCU. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m.
