Falcons Face New Mexico At MWC Championships
3/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 9, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
2009 MWC Championships
#9 Air Force vs. #4 New Mexico
Tuesday, March 10
Tipoff: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Las Vegas, Nev.
Arena: Thomas & Mack Center
Capacity: 18,500
Series: UNM leads, 25-1
Live Stats/Internet Radio: www.goairforcefalcons.com
Radio Talent: Jim Arthur
Falcons Face New Mexico At MWC Championships
The Air Force women's basketball team looks to play the role of spoiler as it heads to the 2009 Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball Championships, March 10-14 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The ninth-seeded Falcons open against fourth-seeded New Mexico on Tuesday, March 10. Tipoff for the game is at 2 p.m. PST. Internet radio and live stats will be available for every Air Force game.
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 4-25 on the season after a 42-31 loss to BYU in the regular season finale last Saturday. 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 9.4 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 New Mexico
New Mexico is 20-9 on the season after downing Wyoming, 63-45, last Saturday. The Lobos are led offensively by junior guard Amy Beggin, who is averaging 14.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Series History/Notes
- Air Force and New Mexico have met 26 times with the Lobos owning a 25-1 advantage in the series.
- The two teams first met on Jan. 2, 1992, a 61-41 Air Force win at the Academy. - New Mexico has won 25 in a row since.
Kreke and Beck Lead MWC In Several Categories
Falcon senior Kim Kreke and sophomore Raimee Beck concluded the 2008-09 regular season leading the Mountain West Conference in several categories. Kreke led the MWC with 273 rebounds and a 9.4 rebounds per-game average. Kreke also was second in the conference with 42 blocked shots. Beck led the MWC with 72 three-point baskets, making 2.48 tree's per-game. Beck also led the conference, averaging 36.6 minutes played per game. Beck finished second in the MWC with a .393 three-point shooting percentage.
AF vs. New Mexico History1-2-92 USAFA, CO W 61-4112-5-92 Albuquerque, NM L 61-7612-1-95 Albuquerque, NM L 60-631-15-98 USAFA, CO^ L 42-772-12-98 Albuquerque, NM^ L 45-911-15-00 USAFA, CO* L 53-722-12-00 Albuquerque, NM* L 42-841-13-01 USAFA, CO* L 44-682-10-01 Albuquerque, NM* L 52-651-12-02 USAFA, CO* L 43-642-7-02 Albuquerque, NM* L 48-781-18-03 Albuquerque, NM* L 57-932-15-03 USAFA, CO* L 40-71 1-17-04 USAFA, CO* L 43-652-14-04 Albuquerque, NM* L 31-791-15-05 Albuquerque, NM* L 58-722-10-05 USAFA, CO* L 68-771-21-06 USAFA, CO* L 54-592-22-06 Albuquerque, NM* L 53-791-18-07 Albuquerque, NM* L 46-602-17-07 USAFA, CO* L 47-571-16-08 USAFA, CO* L 45-752-20-08 Albuquerque, NM* L 40-791-10-09 USAFA, CO* L 39-732-11-09 Albuquerque, NM* L 33-79^WAC game*MWC game
Last Meeting
The Air Force women's basketball team dropped a 79-33 Mountain West Conference game at New Mexico in front of a crowd of 7,923 Wednesday night at University Arena (The PIT).
Four players reached double-figures in scoring for New Mexico. Georonika Jackson and Eileen Weissman led the Lobos with 12 points each. Amy Beggin and Angela Hartill chipped in with 11 and 10 points each.
Air Force was led by Raimee Beck who scored 11 points. Brooke Cultra added seven points and Kim Kreke led the Falcons with nine rebounds. Local product Stevie Puentes, from nearby Rio Rancho, N.M., scored three points and grabbed three rebounds.
New Mexico hit seven of its first eight shots to start the game and jumped out to a 14-4 lead. Air Force meanwhile struggled to get its offense going, shooting 12 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 41-11 at the break.
Air Force-New Mexico Connections
- New Mexico senior guard Amanda Adamson hails from Littleton, Colo. A transfer from Syracuse, Adamson was a four-year letterwinner at Heritage High School in Denver.
- Air Force sophomore guard Stevie Puentes hails from Rio Rancho, N.M. Puentes is a 2006 graduate of Rio Rancho HS where she was a four-year letterwinner and all-state selection as a senior.
Falcons At MWC Tournament
- The Air Force women's basketball team is 1-9 all time at the MWC Championships.
- The Falcons won their first-ever tournament game in 2007, defeating Colorado State 47-46 in the 8/9 play-in game.
- Air Force lost to TCU last year in the #4 vs. #7 Seed Quarterfinal game, 60-47, on March 12, 2008.
Year Seed/Opponent Score Top Scorer Top Rebounder2000 #8 Air Force vs. #1 Utah L, 29-65 Mollie Peters 14 Samantha Clifton 62001 #8 Air Force vs. #1 Utah L, 50-53 Shawna Neff 15 Brooke Bauer 72002 #8 Air Force vs. #1 Colo. State L, 68-79 13 three players Amoy Jackson 82003 #8 Air Force vs. #1 Utah L, 46-83 Gwen Grove 13 Briana Thomas 82004 #8 Air Force vs. #1 New Mexico L, 50-63 Letricia Castillo 12 Neff, Thomas 72005 #7 Air Force vs. #2 Utah L, 42-63 Lauren Henderson 14 Jacki Novak 102006 #7 Air Force vs. #2 Utah L, 47-67 Ellen Jaeschke 20 Lauren Henderson 62007 #9 Air Force vs. #8 Colo. State W, 47-46 Alecia Steele 17 Alecia Steele 102007 #9 Air Force vs. #1 BYU L, 40-72 Alecia Steele 12 Brooke Cultra 82008 #7 Air Force vs. #4 TCU L, 47-60 Jamie Davis 14 Dana Loveless 6
Last year at MWC Tournament
Seventh-seeded Air Force lost to TCU, 60-47, in quarterfinal action at the 2008 Mountain West Conference women's basketball championships at The Thomas & Mack Center. The Falcons conclude the 2007-08 season with a 10-19 record.
A sluggish start by the Falcons was their ultimate demise. TCU (21-10) took advantage of 19 first-half turnovers by Air Force to stake a 36-22 halftime lead. The Falcons made the right adjustments in the second half, out-scoring the Horned Frogs 25-24 in the latter half, but it was a little too late.
Three Frogs reached double-figures in scoring. Adrianne Ross led the way with 16 points. Lori Butler-Rayford scored 13 to go with eight rebounds and Helen Rohen added 11.
Senior Jamie Davis led the way for the Falcons, scoring 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor and pulled down five rebounds. Junior Chasmine Jones also reached double figures, scoring 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Junior Dana Loveless had a team-high six rebounds.
The Falcons were hampered from the get-go as regular starter Alecia Steele was relegated to 12 minutes off the bench due to a separated shoulder suffered 11 days ago in a game against BYU. In addition, freshman Raimee Beck, who had started every game at point guard prior to the tournament, sat out the game with a hip injury.
Despite playing in obvious pain with limited range of motion in her left shoulder, Steele managed to score five points and block a shot. The senior completes her Air Force career as the program's top scorer ever in the Div. I era with 1,237 career points and second all-time rebounder with 765 boards.
Fellow senior Pamela Findlay concluded her Air Force career with six points in 31 minutes of action. Findlay wraps up her career tied for the Falcons' top three-point percentage mark, making a school-best 37.7 percent of her three's. Her 87.5 percent free throw percentage this season marks the second-best percentage in school history and her 81.5 career free-throw percentage ranks tied for third all-time.
Sophomore Ashley Myers played her best game as a Falcon with six points and two steals. Myers made two three-point baskets, the first-two of her career, and played a career-high 23 minutes.
The Falcons shot 39.7 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three-point range and 63.6 percent from the line.
Falcons Amongst Top Free Throw Teams In NCAA
Air Force is shooting 75.6 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 81.5 2 2. TCU 77.8 8 3. Air Force 75.6 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 9.4 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 14 games this year.
MWC Individual Rebounding 1. Kim Kreke, Air Force 9.4 2. Jamie Smith, UNLV 9.2 3. Paris Johnson, SDSU 8.5 4. Shamela Hampton, UNLV 8.4
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 first in three-points per game, making 2.48 treys per game and is first in the conference in 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 19.0 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 16 games reaching double-figures in scoring, Beck has averaged 19.0 points in those games. Air Force is 4-12 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 (11.2 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg) , free throw percentage (84.0%) and blocked shots (12). The senior leads Air Force with 111 career games played and also ranks fifth all-time at the Academy in career rebounding (Div. I era) with 475 boards and is eighth in career scoring (Div. I era) with 777 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 1st/2.48 Blocked Shots Kreke 2nd/42 Scoring Beck 9th/13.2 Cultra 14th/11.2 Kreke 23rd/9.3 Rebounding Kreke 1st/9.4 Cultra 11th/6.1 Beck 15th/5.7 Free Throw Pct. Cultra 4th/84.0 Minutes Played Per Game Beck 1st/36.55 Kreke 6th/33.72 Steals Beck 10th/1.45
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 .393 Dunsworth GP-GS 16-0 29-24 MPG 3.7 22.7 PPG 0.6 3.9 RPG 0.6 4.2 Puentes GP-GS 6-0 29-1 MPG 4.2 17.1 PPG 1.7 2.7 APG 0.2 1.4
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 4.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, both top numbers for the Falcon reserves.
Schjodt GP-GS 3-0 29-4 MPG 5.0 20.9 PPG 2.3 4.7 RPG 1.0 2.7
Gault MWC's Top Freshman 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 3.3 assists per game, ranking sixth in the MWC, and is first amongst freshmen. Her 96 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. 96, Anna Gault 2008-096. 74, Brooke Cultra 2007-087. 72, Jennifer Roesch 2003-048. 68, Raimee Beck 2007-089. 63, Raimee Beck 2008-099. 63, Pamela Findlay 2006-07
Kreke Sets School Div. I Rebounding Mark
With 273 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 273 boards is 3rd-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.
