Falcons Travel To Utah Wednesday
2/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force vs. Utah
Wednesday, Feb. 24
Tipoff: 7 p.m.
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Arena: Huntsman Center
Capacity: 29,251
Series: Utah leads, 28-0
Last Meeting: Utah, 67-47, 1/23/10
Internet stats/radio: UtahUtes.com
Falcons Travel To Utah Wednesday
The Air Force women's basketball team travels to Utah this Wednesday, Feb. 24. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. Live stats and internet radio will be available for the game.
2009-10 Falcons
Air Force returns six letterwinners and three starters from last years team. Junior guard Raimee Beck is the Falcons' top returning scorer, averaging 12.9 points per game as a sophomore. Junior center Liz Dunsworth and sophomore point guard Anna Gault also started last year. Air Force welcomes nine freshmen to the team, the largest freshman class in school history.
Last Outing
Air Force dropped a 65-46 contest to New Mexico Saturday in front of a season-high 956 fans at Clune Arena. Senior forward Kathleen Schjodt tied a career-high with 17 points. Junior guard Raimee Beck just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 3-22 on the season. Junior guard Raimee Beck leads the team offensively, scoring 13.4 points per game to go with 6.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Anna Gault ranks fourth in the confernce, averaging 4.3 assists per game. Air Force is averaging 53.4 points per game and allowing 70.2.
Scouting Utah
Utah is 16-9 on the season after defeating San Diego State, 73-55, last Sunday. Senior forward Kalee Whipple leads the conference offensively, scoring 17.6 points per game to go with 6.6 rebounds. The Utes are averaging 59.0 points per game and allowing 56.2.
Series History/Notes
- Air Force and Utah have met 28 times with the Utes winning all 28.
- The two teams first met in 1998 as conference foes in the Western Athletic Conference. The Utes won both games that year and the first one on Jan. 22, 97-54.
- Air Force's closest game against Utah was a 50-53 loss at the 2001 MWC Championships when the 8th-seeded Falcons nearly upset the top-seeded Utes.
Air Force-Utah Connections
Air Force head coach Ardie McInelly and Utah head coach Elaine Elliott are both Boise State graduates. McInelly graduated in 1982 and Elliott in 1977.
- Utah freshman forward Diana Rolniak is a native of Denver and attended Regis Jesuit high school.
Last Meeting
The Air Force women's basketball team lost to Utah, 67-47, Saturday afternoon at Clune Arena. Utah was led by Taryn Wicijowski, who scored a career-high 24 points to go with nine rebounds. Kalee Whipple followed with 13 points and Rachel Messer added 11 points. Junior guard Raimee Beck and freshman guard Alicia Leipprandt led Air Force with 12 points each. Freshman forward Kelsey Berger added 11 points. Senior forward Kathleen Schjodt led the Falcons with five rebounds and freshman guard Desiree Wilson had a team-high three assists and three steals. Utah out-rebounded Air Force 44-26 and dominated the points in the paint by outscoring the Falcons 30-6 inside. The Utes led 31-16 at the half by making 54.2 percent of their shots, while the Falcons were just 25.9 percent. For the game, Utah shot 48.1 percent from the field and Air Force went 32.2 percent.
New Mexico Game Recap
The Air Force women's basketball team dropped a 65-46 game to New Mexico Saturday afternoon at Clune Arena. Air Force players and coaches wore pink in honor of the Pink Zone® initiative for breast cancer awareness.
Amanda Best led New Mexico with 17 points and five rebounds. Georonika Jackson added 11 points and Jessica Kielpinski scored seven and pulled down 15 rebounds.
Senior forward Kathleen Schjodt led Air Force with 17 points, tying her career high. Junior forward Raimee Beck just missed a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Freshman guard Alicia Leipprandt added eight points and freshman forward Katie Hilbig scored six. Sophomore guard Anna Gault led the Falcons with three assists and three steals.
Despite having its leading scorer, Amy Beggin, out due to injury, New Mexico was able win out by dominating down low. The Lobos out-rebounded the Falcons 46-33 and outscored the Falcons in the paint 24-14.
Air Force struggled offensively, shooting just 28.1 percent from the field. The Falcons did do a good job of holding onto the ball, committing a season-low nine turnovers.
Air Force also came up short in a bid for the Guinness World Record for most air guitarists in one venue. The game drew 956 air guitarists, which was short of the record of 1,436 set by a university in Ontario, Canada.
Beck Leading The Way For Falcons
Junior guard Raimee Beck is off to a strong start so far in 2009-10. Beck had led Air Force in scoring 14 times and rebounding 15 times. She amongst the MWC top 15 in several categories.
Scoring/11th/13.4 ppg
Rebounding/10th/6.5 rpg
Minutes per game/2nd/36.3 mpg
3 PT FG per game/5th/1.8
Beck Closing In On 1,000
With 973 career points, junior guard Raimee Beck needs 27 points to reach the 1,000 point mark. Beck is currently fifth all-time in scoring at Air Force in the Div. I era. Her current 11.7 point per game average is on pace to eclipse the all-time Div. I record of 1,237 career points scored by Alecia Steele (2004-08). Air Force has 11, 1,000 point scorers in school history.
Gault Amongst MWC Leaders In Assists
Sophomore point guard Anna Gault ranks fourth in the MWC in assists averaging 4.3 per game. Gault is already fifth all-time (Div. I era) in assists at Air Force.
Her current 4.3 apg puts her on pace for 112 assists in 26 games, which would come close to the Div. I record of 119 set by Latoya Howell in 2002-03.
Gault Dishes Out 12 vs. Colorado State
Sophomore point guard Anna Gault dished out a career-high 12 assists against Colorado State on Jan. 9. The 12 assists is the second highest total in Div. I history at Air Force. It was Gault's third double-digit assist game in her AFA career.
Freshmen Make Immediate Impact
Four Falcon freshmen are already already making immediate impacts for the Falcons. Four of Air Force's top six scorers are freshmen. Rookies Alicia Leipprandt, Kelsey Berger, Katie Hilbig and Dymond James, rank second-through-sixth in scoring for the Falcons.
Kelsey Berger - forward has started every game for the Falcons. Scored a career-high 23 points against Colorado State. Second on team in scoring, averaging 7.8 ppg. Also second with 23 three's.
Dymond James - forward cracked starting lineup and started four consecutive games. Leads team with .440 field goal percentage to go with 9.0 PPG in conference and 55 trips to free throw line.
Alicia Leipprandt - Third in scoring, averaging 7.4 ppg in 15.5 mpg. Fourth on team in field goal pct (.381) and third in free throw attempts (58) and third with 13 three point baskets.
Katie Hilbig - forward is averaging 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Leads team with 61 trips to the free throw line.
Berger Shines As A Freshman
Forward Kelsey Berger is developing into a consistent scorer for Air Force despite being a true freshman. Berger ranks second in scoring for the Falcons, averaging 7.8 points per game and also ranks second with 23 three-point baskets. Berger has stepped up her play in MWC action, averaging 8.8 points and hitting 48.4 percent of her three-point attempts (15-31).
Team Captains
Senior Kathleen Schjodt and junior Raimee Beck have been named team co-captains for the 2009-10 season. Schjodt is a three-year letterwinner at forward. Beck is a two-year letterwinner and returning starter at guard.
Six Letterwinners and Three Starters Return
Six letterwinners and three starters return for the Falcons. Juniors Raimee Beck and Liz Dunsworth and sophomore Anna Gault are Air Forces returning starters. Senior Kathleen Schjodt, junior Candice Chase and sophomore Jamela Satterfield round out the other returners. In addition, sophomore Kira Gonzalez, who did not play in any game as a freshman, also returns.
Falcons Welcome Nine Newcomers
Air Force welcomes nine freshmen in 2009-10, its largest rookie class in school history.
F Kelsey Berger (Mentor, Ohio)
G Bethany Gross (Alexandria, S.D.)
F Katie Hilbig (Castle Rock, Colo.)
F Dymond James (Brambleton, Va.)
G Alicia Leipprandt (Ubly, Mich.)
G Megan Muñiz (Rio Rancho, N.M.)
G Danielle Sorrera (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
G Austyn Wilson (Dallas, Texas)
G Desiree Wilson (Morrow, Ga.)
Up Next
Air Force stays on the road, traveling to UNLV Saturday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is 3 p.m. PST.
