Falcons Travel To BYU
2/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force vs. BYU
Wednesday, Feb. 4
Tipoff: 7 p.m. (MST)
Location: Provo, Utah
Arena: Marriott Center
Capacity: 12,500
Series: BYU leads, 19-1
Live Stats/Internet Radio: www.byucougars.com
TV: BYU TV (Live).
Re-Broadcast on The Mtn.
(Thurs., Feb. 5, at 9 p.m. MST).
Falcons Travel To BYU
The Air Force women's basketball team travels to BYU this Wednesday, Feb. 4. Tipoff for the game is at 7 p.m. MST. The game will be televised live BYU TV. The game will also be re-broadcast Thursday on the Mountain West Sports Network (Mtn.) at 9 p.m. MST.
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 4-15 on the season after falling at UNLV, 78-64, last Saturday. Sophomore guard Raimee Beck leads the team offensively, scoring 12.9 points per game to go with 5.7 rebounds per game. Senior Kim Kreke is the top rebounder in the conference, averaging 9.7 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 BYU
BYU is 14-5 on the season after winning at Wyoming, 58-45 on Saturday. The Cougars are led offensively by Centennial, Colo., native, sophomore guard Mindy Nielson, who is averaging 11.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Series History/Notes
- Air Force and BYU have met 21 times with the Cougars having won 20 of 21.
- The two teams first met on Jan. 24, 1998, a 103-60 BYU win in Provo.
- In the last meeting, Air Force defeated BYU for the first time ever, 54-49, on March 3, 2008, at the Academy.
BYU (BYU Leads 20-1)
1-24-98 Provo, UT^ L 60-1032-19-98 USAFA, CO^ L 66-782-3-00 USAFA, CO* L 64-933-2-00 Provo, UT* L 69-862-1-01 USAFA, CO* L 59-743-3-01 Provo, UT* L 42-661-19-02 USAFA, CO* L 52-812-14-02 Provo, UT* L 55-682-8-03 Provo, UT* L 50-893-6-03 USAFA, CO* L 55-961-24-04 Provo, UT* L 59-782-19-04 USAFA, CO* L 60-751-22-05 USAFA, CO* L 66-752-17-05 Provo, UT* L 51-711-5-06 Provo, UT* L 43-642-4-06 USAFA, CO* L 44-671-6-07 Provo, UT* L 40-702-8-07 Las Vegas, NV** L 40-721-30-08 Provo, UT* L 47-523-3-08 USAFA, CO* W 54-49^WAC game*MWC game**MWC Championships
Last Meeting
A three-pointer from junior center Kim Kreke (Salem, Ill.) with 32 seconds remaining helped lead the Air Force women's basketball team a 54-49 victory over BYU Saturday afternoon at Clune Arena. The win came as the senior class celebrated its last home game at the Academy.
The game was close throughout, particularly in the second half, which included seven ties and nine lead changes. A jumper by BYU's Shawnee Slade gave the Cougars a 49-47 advantage with one minute remaining in regulation, before Kreke drained the three-pointer to put Air Force back on top. The Falcons iced the victory, its first ever against BYU, with four free throws in the final 13 seconds, as senior Pamela Findlay (Glenview, Ill.) and Kreke each went 2-for-2 at the line.
BYU led by as many as six points with 1:37 remaining in the first half, but a three-pointer by freshman Raimee Beck (Blackfoot, Idaho) and a layup by senior Jamie Davis (Fresno, Calif.) cut the margin to 24-23 at the half.
Air Force had strong production from its senior class, led by Alecia Steele (Oklahoma City, Okla.), who recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season and 21st of her career. Steele, the Falcons' top scorer at the Division I level, now ranks sixth on Air Force's all-time scoring list. Meanwhile, Findlay added nine points, four rebounds and a team-high three assists, and Davis pitched in seven points, two assists and two steals.
Also scoring in double-figures for the Falcons was Beck with 10 points and a game-high four steals. Meanwhile, Slade and Cassie King led the Cougars with 10 points each.
Air Force-BYU Connections
- BYU Sophomore guard Mindy Neilson hails from Centennial, Colo., and attended Regis Jesuit High School.
Nationally-Ranked In Free Throw Shooting
Air Force enters the week as the fourth-best free throw shooting team in the nation, making 78.7 percent of its attempts from the line. Murray State currently leads the nation in free throw shooting, making 82.6 percent from the line.
The Falcons boast five players making 80 percent or better from the line. The Falcons have been perfect at the line in four games this year.
Air Force is currently ahead of the 2001-02 team's school record 76.5 percent free throw percentage. Air Force shot 71.4 percent from the line last year. Four of the top 15 free throw shooting teams in the nation hail from the Mountain West Conference.
NCAA Team Free Throw Percentage (As of 2/2)1. Murray State 82.62. Drexel 81.83. Utah 80.44. Air Force 78.75. Iowa 78.5
MWC Team Free Throw Percentage1. Utah 80.42. Air Force 78.73. TCU 78.24. New Mexico 75.6
Kreke MWC's Top Rebounder
Kim Kreke leads the Mountain West Conference with 9.7 rebounds per game. The next closest player is UNLV's Shamela Hampton with 9.3 rebounds per game. Kreke averaged 4.6 rebounds per game as a junior. She has 10+ rebounds in 10 games this year.
MWC Individual Rebounding 1. Kim Kreke, Air Force 9.7 2. Shamela Hampton, UNLV 9.3 2. Jamie Smith, UNLV 9.1 4. Paris Johnson, SDSU 9.0
Beck A Scoring Machine
Air Force guard Raimee Beck has become one of the Mountain West Conference's top scorers. The sophomore is second on the team and ninth in the MWC, averaging 12.9 points per game. In addition, Beck is second in three-points per game, making 2.4 treys per game and is the top player in the conference in terms of minutes played, averaging 36.3 minutes per game.
Beck was named MWC Player of the Week on Dec. 8 after averaging 25.3 points and 7.3 rebounds during that 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 Averages Over 20 When Reaching Double-Figures
Although Raimee Beck leads the team with a 12.9 scoring average, that total increases significantly when the sophomore guard reaches double figures in a game. In her 10 games reaching double-figures in scoring, Beck has averaged 20.1 points in those games. Air Force is 4-6 when Beck reaches double-figures in scoring.
Cultra Having Solid Senior Campaign
Senior Brooke Cultra has been one of Air Force's most consistent players this year. The guard/forward ranks second on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg), rebounding (6.8 rpg) , free throw percentage (86.7 %) and blocked shots (9). The senior leads Air Force with 103 career games played and also ranks fourth all-time at the Academy in career rebounding (Div. I era) with 440 boards and is 10th in career scoring (Div. I era) with 717 points.
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
Falcon Trio Amongst MWC Leaders
Air Force seniors Brooke Cultra and Kim Kreke and sophomore Raimee Beck are amongst the MWC leaders in several categories.
Three-Point Baskets Per Game Beck 2nd/2.40 Blocked Shots Kreke 2nd/30 Scoring Beck 9th/12.9 Cultra 10th/12.7 Kreke 23rd/9.5 Rebounding Kreke 1st/9.9 Cultra 8th/6.8 Beck 15th/5.7 Free Throw Pct. Cultra 4th/86.7 Minutes Played Per Game Beck 1st/36.35 Kreke 7th/33.95 Cultra 15th/30.65
Sophomore Class Emerging
Several Air Force sophomores have shown improvement since their freshmen campaigns. Guard Stevie Puentes and center Liz Dunsworth have significantly increased their production from their freshmen year and guard Raimee Beck has improved her scoring and rebounding averages.
Beck 2007-08 2008-09 PPG 9.0 12.9 RPG 3.7 5.7 3 PT% .343 .369 Dunsworth GP-GS 16-0 20-15 MPG 3.7 22.0 PPG 0.6 3.7 RPG 0.6 4.1 Puentes GP-GS 6-0 20-1 MPG 4.2 17.5 PPG 1.7 3.0 APG 0.2 1.6
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 been Air Force's top reserve. Schjodt is averaging 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, both top numbers for the Falcon reserves.
Schjodt GP-GS 3-0 20-4 MPG 5.0 21.5 PPG 2.3 5.6 RPG 1.0 3.1
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 seven games. It was the first 10 assist game by a Falcons since 2002. Gault is currently averaging 3.6 assists per game, ranking fifth in the MWC. Her 72 assists already ranks in the single season top ten in the Div. I era at Air Force.
Single Season Assists Div. I Era1. 119, Latoya Howell 2002-032. 111, Lauren Henderson 2004-053. 110, Kallie Quinn 1997-984. 109, Latoya Howell 2001-025. 74, Brooke Cultra 2007-086. 72, Anna Gault 2008-096. 72, Jennifer Roesch 2003-048. 68, Raimee Beck 2007-089. 63, Pamela Findlay 2006-0710. 58, Jennifer Roesch 2004-05
Kreke Becomes Div. I Era Shot Block Leader
Senior Kim Kreke currently has 82 blocks for her career. That total is the most Air Force in the Div. I era, surpassing Ellen Jaeschke. Kreke currently ranks 4th all-time in shot blocks.
Most Blocks Career1. 122, Mary Manning 1981-852. 88, Chris Clausnitzer 1988-923. 82, Kim Kreke* 2005-pr.4. 79, Leigh Wilbanks 1988-915. 70, Carrie Carrow 1993, 95-966. 64, Stacy Goss 1983-867. 56, Ellen Jaeschke* 2004-058. 55, Brooke Cultra* 2005-pr.9. 52, Pamela Findlay* 2004-0810. 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 returns to action Saturday, Feb. 7, hosting San Diego State. Tip off for the game is at 2 p.m. MTN.
