Falcons Open 2009 Hosting Navy
1/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force vs. Navy
3:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 3 - Clune Arena, USAF Academy, Colo.
Series: Navy leads, 4-2 Live Stats: www.goairforcefalcons.com
Radio: 1300 AM in Colorado Springs
Internet Radio: www.goairforcefalcons.com
Radio Talent: Tony Desiere
TV: The Mountain West Sports Network (Mtn.)
Channel 616 on DirecTV and 167 on Comcast cable.
(The Mtn. is not available on DISH)
TV Talent: Mike Evans (play-by-play); Anne Marie Anderson (color)
Falcons Open 2009 Hosting Navy
The Air Force women's basketball team opens 2009 by hosting service academy rival Navy in its final non-conference game of the season, Jan. 3, at Clune Arena. Ti-off is at 3:35 p.m. MTN and will be televised live nationally on the Mountain West Sports Network (Mtn.).
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 3-9 on the season after dropping games at Bradley and Chicago State. Senior guard Brooke Cultra leads the team offensively, scoring 14.5 points per game to go with 6.3 rebounds per game. Senior Kim Kreke is the top rebounder in the conference, averaging 10.9 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 Navy
Navy is 6-7 on the season after defeating Rider and Radford in its last two games. The Midshipmen, located in Annapolis, Md., and members of the Patriot League, are led offensively by sophomore center Cassie Consedine, who is averaging 13.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Air Force-Navy Coaches With Idaho State Ties
Three Air Force coaches, including head coach Ardie McInelly and Navy head coach Stephanie Pemper have ties to Idaho State University. McInelly was the head coach at Idaho State, located in Pocatello, Idaho, for five seasons, from 1996-2001. Pemper is a graduate of Idaho State (1992), as are Air Force assistant coaches Holly Togiai (`99 grad.) and Cassie Bro (`06 grad.). Pemper was inducted into the Idaho State Hall of Fame in 2003 and Togiai just months ago in 2008.
Series History/Notes
- Air Force and Navy have met six times with the Falcons trailing the series 2-4.
- The two teams first met in 1996, a 52-49 win by the Midshipmen at a neutral site.
- Air Force is 0-3 all-time in Annapolis and 2-0 at the Academy.
11-22-96 Pocatello, ID* L 49-521-2-01 Annapolis, MD L 38-561-5-02 USAFA, CO W 85-6912-29-03 Annapolis, MD L 60-7312-30-04 USAFA, CO W 72-6212-29-07 Annapolis, MD L 69-72*Idaho State Tournament
Last Meeting
Air Force lost in overtime at Navy, 72-69, Dec. 29, 2007 at Alumni Hall. Playing the entire 45 minutes, senior Pamela Findlay led the team with a career-high tying 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range.
Air Force failed to hold an 11-point lead in regulation and the loss spoiled a late-game rally that sent the game into overtime. Trailing by five points with two minutes left in regulation, a pair of free throws by Finlday and a three-point basket by freshman Raimee Beck tied the game up with 54 seconds to go in the game. After Navy went back up by two with jumper by Cassie Consedine, the Findlay sank two more free throws with 14 seconds remaining to re-tie the game and eventually sent it into overtime.
The Falcons led 43-32 at the 15:38 mark in the second half before Navy slowly worked its way back into the game. Leading 48-39 at the 10 minute mark, the Mids went on an 11-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 50-48 lead. The Falcons never regained the lead during regulation.
In overtime, Air Force took the lead twice early on, but Navy pulled away late to get the win.
Joining Findlay in double-figures scoring for the Falcons were Beck and Cultra. Beck scored 12 points and dished out four assists. Cultra scored 11 and had a a team-high five assists. Senior Alecia Steele led the team with seven rebounds, but was held to just seven points, nine below her season average.
K.C. Gordon and Morgan Hill came off the bench to lead Navy with 15 and 14 points. Angela Myers dished out 11 assists and had five steals for the Mids. Myers is the youngers sister of Air Force's Ashley Myers, who did not play in the game. Consedine had seven of Navy's nine blocked shots.
Air Force-Navy Connections
Navy sophomore guard Angela Myers has a sister, Ashley, who is a junior at the Air Force Academy. Ashley was a two-year letterwinner for the Air Force women's team but is not on the team this year. The Myers sisters are natives of San Antionio, Texas, and attended Taft High School.
Air Force vs. Patriot League
The Falcons are 12-13 all-time in games against Patriot League schools.
First Last Meeting Meetingvs. Army 7-6 1985 2008 vs. Bucknell 1-1 2003 2006vs. Colgate 1-0 1985vs. Holy Cross 0-1 2000vs. Lafayette 1-1 2000 2001 vs. Navy 2-4 1996 2007
Air Force vs. Service Academies
Air Force is 9-10 all-time against service academy schools, going 7-6 against Army and 2-4 against Navy. Air Force has played both Army and Navy in the same season six times.
AFA vs. Army and Navy in same season Year W-L 1996-97 0-2 2000-01 0-2 2001-02 2-0 2003-04 0-2 2004-05 1-1 2007-08 1-1 2008-09 0-1
Falcons Near Top In Several MWC Categories
Air Force ranks amongst the top Mountain West Conference teams in free throw shooting, team defense and team defensive field goal percentage. The Falcons are allowing the opposition to score 61.5 points per game and shoot 37.7 percent from the field, both ranking fourth. The team is making 82.1 percent of their free throw attempts, which also ranks second in the conference.
The Falcons allowed 64.5 points per game, shot 71.4 percent from the line and allowed the opposition to shoot .415 from the field in 2007-08.
MWC Team Defense1. New Mexico 58.62. BYU 61.13. Utah 61.24. Air Force 61.5
MWC Team Defense FG %1. New Mexico .3432. Wyoming .3653. Utah .3684. Air Force .377
MWC Team Free Throw Percentage1. Utah 82.42. Air Force 82.13. TCU 77.54. New Mexico 77.0
Defense on Record Pace
Air Force is allowing 61.5 points per game. That total is nearly three 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 12 opponents to 57 or fewer points.
Kreke MWC's Top Rebounder
Kim Kreke leads the Mountain West Conference with 10.9 rebounds per game. The next closest player is UNLV's Shamela Hampton with 9.2 rebounds per game. Kreke averaged 4.6 rebounds per game as a junior. She has 10+ rebounds in seven games this year.
MWC Individual Rebounding 1. Kim Kreke, Air Force 10.9 2. Shamela Hampton, UNLV 9.2 3. Jamie Smith, UNLV 8.6 4. Paris Johnson, SDSU 8.4
Beck A Scoring Machine
Air Force guard Raimee Beck has become one of the Mountain West Conference's top scorers. The sophomore ranks second on the team and 10th in the MWC, averaging 14.3 points per game. Beck was 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.
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 Force31 Mary Jo Wier vs. New Mexico Highlands, 2/11/7726 Mary Manning vs. Northern Colorado, 3/11/8224 Mary Jo Wier vs. Colorado Mines, 2/1/7719 Kim Kreke vs. UMKC, 12/22/0819 Kim Kreke vs. Milwaukee, 11/22/0819 Mary Manning vs. Northern Colorado, 1/29/8517 Theresa Blad vs. Abilene Christian, 3/8/8517 Melissa Standley vs. Mesa State, 11/17/8916 Mollie Peters vs. Texas Pan-American, 11/23/97
Beck & Cultra Also Amongst MWC Leaders
Raimee Beck and Brooke Cultra rank in the MWC top 15 in several categories.
Scoring Cultra 9th/14.6 Beck 10th/14.3 Rebounding Beck 11th/6.6 Cultra 12th/6.3 Free Throw Pct. Cultra 3rd/90.9 Three-Point Baskets Per Game Beck 2nd/2.58
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 14.3 RPG 3.7 6.6 Dunsworth GP-GS 16-0 12-7 MPG 3.7 19.7 PPG 0.6 2.4 RPG 0.6 4.4 Puentes GP-GS 6-0 12-1 MPG 4.2 18.3 PPG 1.7 4.3 APG 0.2 1.8
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 12-4 MPG 5.0 23.4 PPG 2.3 5.9 RPG 1.0 3.3
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 3.3 assists per game, ranking ninth in the MWC.
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. 69, 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
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.
Up Next
Air Force opens Mountain West Conference play on Wed., Jan. 7, at San Diego State. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports (CBS C).
