Falcons Close Out 2008 at Bradley and Chicago State
12/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 24, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force vs. Bradley
Sunday, Dec. 28, 5 p.m. (Central)
Peoria, Ill. - Richwoods High School
Series: First Meeting
Internet Radio: bubraves.com
Air Force vs. Chicago State
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 7 p.m. (Central)
Chicago, Ill. - Jones Covocations Center (7,000)
Series: AF leads, 1-0
Internet Radio: gocsucougars.com
Falcons Close Out 2008 at Bradley and Chicago State
The Air Force women's basketball team concludes 2008 with a pair of road games in the state of Illinois. The Falcons take on Bradley on Sunday, Dec. 28 and then hit up the Windy City for a game at Chicago State on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Both games will be broadcast on free internet radio. Due to arena renovations at Bradley's Carver Arena, the Air Force-Bradley game is slated to be played at Richwoods High School.
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 3-7 on the season after dropping a 64-59 game at home to UMKC. Sophomore guard Raimee Beck leads the team offensively, scoring 14.6 points per game to go with 6.7 rebounds per game. Senior Kim Kreke is the top rebounder in the conference, averaging 11.3 boards per game.
Air Force In 2007-08
Air Force went 10-19 in 2007-09. The Falcons were 4-12 in Mountain West Conference play, finishing in seventh place. The four conference wins and seventh place finish were all-time bests in MWC play for Air Force. Senior forward Alecia Steele led Air Force in scoring and rebounding, averaging 12 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Steele was also named team MVP. Steele and senior guard Pamela Findlay earned all-MWC honors.
Scouting Bradley
Bradley is 8-2 on the season after defeating Toledo 73-65. The Braves, located in Peoria, Ill., and members of the Missouri Valley Conference, are led offensively by senior forward Monica Rogers, who is averaging 12.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
Scouting Chicago State
Chicago State is 6-7 on the season after defeating Drake, 78-66. The Cougars, an independent Div. I program in Chicago, are led offensively by senior guard Jasmin Dixon, who is averaging 16.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Homecoming For Four Falcon Players and a Coach
Four Air Force players and associate head coach Lisa Robinson call Illinois home. Three of Air Force's starters (Cultra, Gault, Kreke) are Illinois natives. Robinson, a native of Annawan, Ill., was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Illinois and was a two-time Kodak Honorable Mention All-American. In addition, Robinson coached at Illinois State and Normal Community College.
Sr. G - Brooke Cultra - Onarga (Iroquois West HS)
So. C - Liz Dunsworth - Rock Island (Alleman Catholic HS)
Fr. G - Anna Gault - Aurora (Waubonsie Valley HS)
Sr. C - Kim Kreke - Salem (Salem Community HS)
Series History/Notes
- Air Force plays Bradley for the first time.
- Air Force and Chicago State have met once before, a 51-47 win by the Falcons on 11/20/98 in Chicago.
- The last time Air Force played in Illinois was on Dec. 9, 2006, a 58-57 loss at Illinois-Chicago.
Kreke Sets Academy Div. I Rebounding Mark; Twice
Kim Kreke had pulled down 19 rebounds in a game twice this season, setting a Air Force Div. I record in the process. Kreke first recorded 19 rebounds against Milwaukee. That total eclipsed the previous mark of 16 set by Mollie Peters vs. Texas-Pan American on Nov. 23, 1997. Kreke grabbed 19 rebounds again vs. UMKC on Dec 22. The 19 rebounds ties for the fourth-most in Air Force history, the seventh-highest mark in Mountain West Conference history and the second-highest total by a senior in MWC history.
Most Rebounds In A Game By Air Force
31 Mary Jo Wier vs. New Mexico Highlands, 2/11/77
26 Mary Manning vs. Northern Colorado, 3/11/82
24 Mary Jo Wier vs. Colorado Mines, 2/1/77
19 Kim Kreke vs. UMKC, 12/22/08
19 Kim Kreke vs. Milwaukee, 11/22/08
19 Mary Manning vs. Northern Colorado, 1/29/85
17 Theresa Blad vs. Abilene Christian, 3/8/85
17 Melissa Standley vs. Mesa State, 11/17/89
16 Mollie Peters vs. Texas Pan-American, 11/23/97
Kreke MWC's Top Rebounder
Kim Kreke leads the Mountain West Conference with 11.3 rebounds per game. The next closest player is UNLV's Shamela Hampton with 9.4 rebounds per game. Kreke averaged 4.6 rebounds per game as a junior. She has 11+ rebounds in six games this year.
MWC Individual Rebounding 1. Kim Kreke, Air Force 11.3 2. Shamela Hampton, UNLV 9.4 3. Jamie Smith, UNLV 8.2 4. Paris Johnson, SDSU 8.1
Second In The Nation in Free-Throw Percentage
Air Force is currently second in the nation in team free throw percentage, making 83.5 percent from the line. Murray State is currently the top free throw shooting team in the nation, making 83.9 percent from the line. The Falcons have five players making 90 percent-or-better and seven over 80 percent from the line.
Falcons At or Near Top In Several MWC Categories
Air Force is the Mountain West Conference's top free throw shooting team and ranks second in points allowed and defensive field goal percentage. The Falcons are allowing the opposition to score 59.3 points per game and shoot 36.0 percent from the field. The team is making 83.5 percent of their free throw attempts, which also ranks second in the nation.
The Falcons also rank fourth in rebounding, pulling down 39.6 rebounds per game. The Falcons allowed 64.5 points per game, shot 71.4 percent from the line and averaged 35.7 rebounds per game in 2007-08.
MWC Team Defense1. New Mexico 56.62. Air Force 59.33. Utah 60.94. Wyoming 63.3
MWC Team Defense FG %1. New Mexico .3292. Air Force .3603. Wyoming .3644. Utah .377
MWC Team Free Throw Percentage1. Air Force 83.52. Utah 80.13. TCU 78.04. New Mexico 76.3
MWC Team Rebounding1. New Mexico 43.02. Colorado State 41.53. UNLV 40.44. Air Force 39.6
Defense on Record Pace
Air Force is allowing 59.3 points per game. That total is nearly five points per game fewer than the all-time Div. I era school record of 64.1 ppg by the 2004-05 team. The Falcons have held six of their 10 opponents to 57 or fewer points.
Beck Leading Falcons In Scoring
Air Force guard Raimee Beck has become one of the Mountain West Conference's top scorers. The sophomore leads the team and ranks ninth in the MWC averaging 14.6 points per game. Beck was recently named MWC Player of the Week on Dec. 8 after averaging 25.3 points and 7.3 rebounds during that previous week.
Here are some of Beck's highlights so far this year:
- Scored a career-high 30 points against North Carolina Central, becoming the first Falcon to reach 30 points in a game since 2002.
- Was 8-for-8 from three-point range vs. NCCU, tying a school record for three's in a game and shattering the previous school mark of 4-for-4 for perfect three's in a game. The 8-for-8 on three' was also a new MWC record and one shy of tying the NCAA record.
- At one point, made 12-consecutive three-point baskets over the three games, two off the NCAA record of 14.
- Scored 21 points vs. Barry and 25 vs. Miami (Ohio).
- Named to Air Force Classic All-Tournament Team.
Beck Season Stats after last week After First 5 games After 10 games.PPG 10.8 14.6FG% .279 .3823PT% .200 .3823PT PG 1.5 2.6
Kreke Becomes Div. I Era Shot Block Leader
Senior Kim Kreke currently has 67 blocks for her career. That total is the most Air Force in the Div. I era, surpassing Ellen Jaeschke. Kreke currently ranks 5th all-time in shot blocks.
Most Blocks Career1. 122, Mary Manning 1981-852. 88, Chris Clausnitzer 1988-923. 79, Leigh Wilbanks 1988-914. 70, Carrie Carrow 1993, 95-965. 67, Kim Kreke* 2005-pr.6. 64, Stacy Goss 1983-867. 56, Ellen Jaeschke* 2004-058. 52, Pamela Findlay* 2004-089. 51, Brooke Cultra* 2005-pr.10. 41, Mollie Peters* 1996-00*Div. I era
Beck & Cultra Also Amongst MWC Leaders
Raimee Beck and Brooke Cultra rank in the MWC top 15 in several categories.
Scoring Beck 9th/14.6 Cultra 10th/13.8 Rebounding Cultra 10th/6.8 Beck 13th/6.3 Free Throw Pct. Cultra 2nd/91.4 Beck 6th/87.0 Three-Point Baskets Per Game Beck 2nd/2.60
Sophomore Class Emerging
Several Air Force sophomores have shown improvement since their freshmen campaigns. Guard Stevie Puentes and center Liz Dunsworth have already surpassed their point and minutes played totals as freshmen and guard Raimee Beck has improved her scoring and rebounding averages.
Beck 2007-08 2008-09 PPG 9.0 14.6 RPG 3.7 6.7 Dunsworth GP-GS 16-0 10-5 MPG 3.7 19.5 PPG 0.6 2.5 RPG 0.6 5.0 Puentes GP-GS 6-0 10-1 MPG 4.2 17.8 PPG 1.7 4.1 APG 0.2 1.4
Schjodt A Pleasant Surprise
Kathleen Schjodt, the lone junior on the team, has also provided solid minutes this year. After seeing limited minutes as a freshman and even less time as a sophomore due to injury, the junior has started four games and has already surpassed her minutes played the first two years combined.
Schjodt GP-GS 3-0 10-4 MPG 5.0 23.9 PPG 2.3 6.1 RPG 1.0 3.5
Gault Turning Into Top Distributor
Point guard Anna Gault is quickly picking up the pace of Div. I basketball. Gault had a career-high 10 assists against North Carolina Central and has 5+ assists in four games. It was the first 10 assist game by a Falcons since 2002. Gault is currently averaging 3.5 assists per game, ranking seventh in the MWC.
Injury Sidelines Loveless For Remainder Of Season
Senior power forward Dana Loveless will miss the remainder of the 2008-09 season after suffering a sprained ankle and torn left ACL in the season-opener against Northern Colorado. Both injuries happened on the same play just eight minutes into the game.
Falcons Picked To Finish Ninth In MWC
In the preseason conference poll released in October, Air Force was chosen by the coaches and select media to finish ninth in the Mountain West.
1. Utah (16) 2062. San Diego State (6) 1843. TCU (2) 1614. New Mexico (2) 1485. BYU 1176. Wyoming 1137. UNLV 808. Colorado State 449. Air Force 36(First Place Votes)
Seven Regular Season Games on TV
A record seven Air Force women's basketball regular season games will be televised. The Falcons will have four games on the Mountain West Sports Network (Mtn.) and games on CBS College Sports (CBS C), Fox Rocky Mountain (Fox RM) and BYU TV. Air Force could also have games televised at the MWC Championships.
Air Force WBB TV ScheduleNov. 29 Army Mtn.Dec. 10 at Denver Fox RMJan. 3 Navy Mtn.Jan. 7 at San Diego St. CBS CJan. 20 Colorado St. Mtn.Feb. 4 at BYU BYU TVFeb. 21 at Colorado St. Mtn.M 10-14 MWC Tourney Mtn./CBS C/VERSUS
Team Captains
Seniors Brooke Cultra and Kim Kreke have been named team co-captains for the 2008-09 season. Cultra is a three-year letterwinner and returning starter at shooting guard. Kreke is also a three-year letterwinner and returning starter at center.
Nine Letterwinners and Three Starters Return
Nine letterwinners and three starters return for the Falcons.
Sophomore Raimee Beck, senior Brooke Cultra and senior Kim Kreke are Air Forces returning starters.
Senior Dana Loveless, junior Kathleen Schjodt and sophomores Jenny Bandi, Candice Chase, Liz Dunsworth and Stevie Puentes round out the other returners.
Falcons Welcome Five Newcomers
Air Force welcomes five freshmen in 2008-09.
G Ariane Brown - Colorado Springs, CO (Palmer HS)
G Anna Gault - Aurora, IL (Waubonsie Valley HS)
G Kira Gonzalez - Olathe, KS (DeSoto HS)
G Jamela Satterfield - Sacramento, CA (Sheldon HS)
F Amber Wilmore - Colorado Springs, CO (Falcon HS)
Up Next
Air Force hosts service academy rival Navy for its final non-conference game on Jan. 3. The game will be televised nationally on the Mountain West Sports Network (The Mtn.).
