Falcons Travel To UNLV Saturday
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force vs. UNLV
Saturday, Feb. 27
Tipoff: 3 p.m.
Location: Las Vegas, Nev.
Arena: Cox Pavilion
Capacity: 2,500
Series: UNLV leads, 24-3
Last Meeting: UNLV, 67-66, 1/26/10
Internet stats/radio: UNLVRebels.com
Falcons Travel To UNLV Saturday
The Air Force women's basketball team travels to UNLV this Saturday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is slated for 3 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 73-48 contest at Utah Wednesday. Junior guard Raimee Beck led the Falcons with 16 points and six rebounds. Freshman guard Alicia Leipprandt followed with 13 points and senior forward Kathleen Schjodt added nine points.
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 3-23 on the season. Junior guard Raimee Beck leads the team offensively, scoring 13.5 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 53.2 points per game and allowing 70.3.
Scouting UNLV
UNLV is 12-16 on the season after falling to TCU, 79-64, last Tuesday. Junior guard Erica Helms leads the team offensively, scoring 13.5 points per game to go with 3.4 assists. The Rebels are averaging 61.7 points per game and allowing 67.6.
Series History/Notes
- Air Force and UNLV have met 27 times with the Rebels owning a 24-3 advantage in the series.
- The two teams first met in 1997 as conference foes in the Western Athletic Conference. The Falcons won the first of two meetings that year on Jan. 25, 67-62, in Clune Arena.
Last Meeting
Amanda Anderson's jumper with three seconds left rallied UNLV to a 77-76 win over Air Force in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action Tuesday night at Clune Arena. In another wild finish between the two schools, UNLV ran off a 14-4 run over the final two minutes and 15 seconds of the game to pull out the win. The Falcons lost to the Rebels in agonizing fashion for the second-straight meeting. Last March, UNLV rallied from a 22 point deficit with under 10 minutes remaining to down the Falcons 64-63. Air Force went down despite a season-high 26 points from junior guard Raimee Beck. The Falcons also shot 53.7 percent from the field. The Falcons also connected on 10-of-17 three-point baskets, good for a 58.8 shooting percentage. After trading leads early on, Air Force led from the 15:02 mark in the first-half, until UNLV went ahead 75-74 with 18 second remaining. On the ensuing play, the Falcons seemed to have won the game, when sophomore guard Kira Gonzalez threw a full-court inbounds pass to Beck, who layed the ball in, giving the Falcons a 76-75 lead with 14 seconds left. UNLV quickly took the ball back down the other end of the court and Rebel guard Erica Helms hoisted up a missed jumper. Gonzalez was able to get to the ball, but LaToya Hunt was able to knock the ball out of Gonzalez's hands. Out of a wild scramble, Anderson came away with the ball and threw up the shot which went in. Four players reached double figures in scoring for both teams, a season-first for the Falcons. Kelli Thompson led UNLV with 24 points, to go with six rebounds. Helms and Alison Holiday added 12 and Anderson scored 11. Senior forward Kathleen Schjodt scored a career-high 17 points, as did freshman forward Kelsey Berger for Air Force.
Utah Game Recap
The Air Force women's basketball team dropped a 73-48 game at Utah Wednesday night at the Huntsman Center.
Kalee Whipple scored 17 points to lead Utah, which shot 58.3 percent from the field as a team. Janita Badon and Taryn Wicijowski added 11 points as well.
Junior guard Raimee Beck led Air Force with 16 points and six rebounds. The 16 points gave Beck 989 for her career, moving her into third place in the Div. I era at Air Force. Freshman guard Alicia Leipprandt followed with 13 points and five rebounds.
After a close first-half, Utah pulled away in the second half. The Utes led 37-30 at the half and then went on to out-score the Falcons 36-18 in the second half. Utah dominated the boards out-rebounding Air Force 37-23.
The Falcons played one of its best first-half's in conference play, committing just four turnovers and shooting 46.4 percent from the field. Despite allowing the Utes to shoot 64 percent from the field, the Falcons trailed by just seven 37-30.
The Falcons continued to show improvement in taking care of the ball, trying a season low--for the second consecutive game--with just nine turnovers. Senior forward Kathleen Schjodt also played well for the Falcons, with nine points. Sophomore guard Anna Gault led Air Force with four assists and three steals.
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 15 times and rebounding 17 times. She amongst the MWC top 15 in several categories.
Scoring/11th/13.5 ppg
Rebounding/10th/6.5 rpg
Minutes per game/1st/36.3 mpg
3 PT FG per game/5th/1.8
Beck Closing In On 1,000
With 989 career points, junior guard Raimee Beck needs 11 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 11.8 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.
Beck would be the first Falcon to reach 1,000 points in her junior year since Melissa Standley did so in 1989.
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 7.6 ppg. Also second with 24 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 - Second in scoring, averaging 7.6 ppg in 15.8 mpg. Fourth on team in field goal pct (.383) and third in free throw attempts (58) and third with 14 three point baskets.
Katie Hilbig - forward is averaging 4.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Leads team with 63 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 7.6 points per game and also ranks second with 24 three-point baskets. Berger has stepped up her play in MWC action, averaging 8.3 points and hitting 50 percent of her three-point attempts (16-32).
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 plays its home finale on Wednesday, March 3, hosting Wyoming. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. Air Force will honor senior Kathleen Schjodt prior to tipoff.
