Falcons Host BYU In Regular Season Finale
3/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 6, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
BYU vs. Air Force
Saturday, March 7
Tipoff: 2 p.m. (MST)
Location: USAFA, Colo.
Arena: Clune Arena
Capacity: 5,939
Series: BYU leads, 20-1
Live Stats/Internet Radio: www.goairforcefalcons.com
Radio: 1300 AM (In Colorado Springs)
Radio Talent: Jay Ritchie
Falcons Host BYU In Regular Season Finale
The Air Force women's basketball team plays host to BYU this Saturday, March 7. Tipoff for the game is at 2 p.m. MST. Internet radio and live stats will be available for the game. Prior to tipoff, Air Force will honor the seniors in the 2008-09 regular season finale.
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 4-24 on the season after a heartbreaking 64-63 loss to UNLV on Wednesday. Sophomore guard Raimee Beck leads the team offensively, scoring 13.2 points per game to go with 5.7 rebounds per game. Senior Kim Kreke is the top rebounder in the conference, averaging 9.3 boards per game.
Air Force In 2007-08
Air Force went 10-19 in 2007-08. 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 17-10 on the season after falling to Wyoming, 57-55 in overtime Wednesday. The Cougars are led offensively by Centennial, Colo., native, sophomore guard Mindy Nielson, who is averaging 10.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Series History/Notes
- Air Force and BYU have met 22 times with the Cougars having won 21 of 22.
- The two teams first met on Jan. 24, 1998, a 103-60 BYU win in Provo.
- In the last meeting at the Academy, Air Force defeated BYU for the first time ever, 54-49, on March 3, 2008.
Final Home Game For Seniors
Air Force seniors and team co-captains Brooke Cultra and Kim Kreke will be playing their final home games Saturday in Clune Arena. In addition, injured senior Dana Loveless will also be honored in senior day festivities prior to tipoff.
vs. BYU (BYU Leads 21-1)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 54-492-4-09 Provo, UT* L 41-60^WAC game*MWC game**MWC Championships
Last Meeting
The Air Force women's basketball team dropped a 60-41 Mountain West Conference contest at BYU Wednesday night at the Marriott Center.
Jazmine Foreman led BYU with 10 points and five assists. Shawnee Slade and Mindy Nielson both added eight points.
Senior Brooke Cultra led all scorers with 15 points. Cultra also had five rebounds and three steals. Senior Kim Kreke also reached double-figures in scoring for the Falcons, scoring 11 points. Raimee Beck scored seven points and had nine rebounds. Liz Dunsworth also tied a team-high with nine rebounds.
A hot start by BYU, coupled with an ice-cold start by Air Force, saw AFA trailing 7-0 to start and 19-3 eight minutes into the game. The Falcons shot just 27 percent from the field in the opening stanza, while the Cougars shot 46.9 percent and took a 41-15 lead at the break.
Air Force fought back with a strong second-half, outscoring BYU 26-19, but the big first-half deficit was too big a hurdle to overcome.
Air Force-BYU Connections
- BYU Sophomore guard Mindy Neilson hails from Centennial, Colo., and attended Regis Jesuit High School.
Falcons Amongst Top Free Throw Teams In NCAA
Air Force is shooting 75.2 percent from the free throw line, ranking 11th in the NCAA. Air Force is third in the MWC, trailing Utah and TCU.
The Falcons currently trail the school record of 76.5 percent by the 2001-02 team.
Team Pct. NCAA Rank 1. Utah 81.7 2 2. TCU 77.5 8 3. Air Force 75.2 11
Four Starters From Illinois
Four of Air Force's starter are Illinois natives. Senior Brooke Cultra, sophomore Liz Dunsworth, freshman Anna Gault and senior Kim Kreke hail from the Illini State. Including Idaho native Raimee Beck, Air Force had gone with the same starting lineup for 17 consecutive games, until Cultra missed the Wyoming game.
Player - Illinois home town
Cultra - Onarga
Dunsworth - Rock Island
Gault - Aurora
Kreke - Salem
Kreke MWC's Top Rebounder
Kim Kreke leads the Mountain West Conference with 9.3 rebounds per game. The next closest player is UNLV's Jamie Smith with 9.2 rebounds per game. Kreke averaged 4.6 rebounds per game as a junior. She has 10+ rebounds in 13 games this year.
MWC Individual Rebounding 1. Kim Kreke, Air Force 9.3 2. Jamie Smith, UNLV 9.2 2. Shamela Hampton, UNLV 8.4 4. Paris Johnson, SDSU 8.2
Beck A Scoring Machine
Air Force guard Raimee Beck has become one of the Mountain West Conference's top scorers. The sophomore leads the team and ninth in the MWC, averaging 13.2 points per game. In addition, Beck is second in three-points per game, making 2.43 treys per game and is first in the conference in terms of minutes played, averaging 36.5 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.
- Has scored 20+ points six times.
- Named to Air Force Classic All-Tournament Team.
Beck Averages 19.3 When Reaching Double-Figures
Although Raimee Beck leads the team with a 13.2 scoring average, that total increases significantly when the sophomore guard reaches double figures in a game. In her 15 games reaching double-figures in scoring, Beck has averaged 19.3 points in those games. Air Force is 4-11 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 (11.5 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg) , free throw percentage (83.7%) and blocked shots (12). The senior leads Air Force with 110 career games played and also ranks fifth all-time at the Academy in career rebounding (Div. I era) with 468 boards and is eighth in career scoring (Div. I era) with 775 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/2.43 Blocked Shots Kreke 2nd/42 Scoring Beck 9th/13.2 Cultra 12th/11.5 Kreke 23rd/9.4 Rebounding Kreke 1st/9.3 Cultra 11th/6.1 Beck 16th/5.7 Free Throw Pct. Cultra 4th/83.7 Minutes Played Per Game Beck 1st/36.54 Kreke 6th/33.61 Steals Beck 10th/1.43
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 13.2 RPG 3.7 5.7 3 PT% .343 .389 Dunsworth GP-GS 16-0 28-23 MPG 3.7 22.5 PPG 0.6 3.9 RPG 0.6 4.3 Puentes GP-GS 6-0 28-1 MPG 4.2 17.3 PPG 1.7 2.8 APG 0.2 1.5
Schjodt A Pleasant Surprise
Kathleen Schjodt, the lone junior on the team, has 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 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, both top numbers for the Falcon reserves.
Schjodt GP-GS 3-0 28-4 MPG 5.0 21.0 PPG 2.3 4.8 RPG 1.0 2.7
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 3.4 assists per game, ranking sixth in the MWC. Her 95 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. 95, Anna Gault 2008-096. 74, Brooke Cultra 2007-087. 72, Jennifer Roesch 2003-048. 68, Raimee Beck 2007-089. 63, Pamela Findlay 2006-0710. 58, Jennifer Roesch 2004-05
Kreke Sets School Div. I Rebounding Mark
With 261 rebounds on the season, senior Kim Kreke is Air Force's all-time Div. I single-season record holder in rebounding, surpassing Alecia Steele, who had 228 boards in 2006-07. Kreke's 261 boards is 4th-best all-time at Air Force.
Kreke Becomes Div. I Era Shot Block Leader
Senior Kim Kreke currently has 94 blocks for her career. That total is the most Air Force in the Div. I era. Kreke currently ranks 2nd all-time in shot blocks.
Most Blocks Career1. 122, Mary Manning 1981-852. 94, Kim Kreke* 2005-pr.2. 88, Chris Clausnitzer 1988-924. 79, Leigh Wilbanks 1988-915. 70, Carrie Carrow 1993, 95-966. 64, Stacy Goss 1983-867. 58, Brooke Cultra* 2005-pr.8. 56, Ellen Jaeschke* 2004-059. 52, Pamela Findlay* 2004-0810. 41, Mollie Peters* 1996-00*Div. I era
Cultra Sits Out Wyoming Game With Injury
Air Force senior guard Brook Cultra missed the Wyoming game due to a calf strain suffered in practice last week. The Wyoming game snapped a streak of 107 consecutive games played by the senior co-team captain. Freshman Jamela Satterfield earned her first-career start in place of Cultra.
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)
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 Tuesday, March 10, at the Mountain West Conference Basketball Championships in Las Vegas. The Falcons are the ninth-seed and will play the fourth-seed (Team TBA) at 2 p.m. PST.
