Air Force Academy
Boise State
Falcons Come Up Short Against Boise State
1/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2012
USAFA, Colo. - A second-half rally fell short as the Air Force women's basketball team fell to visiting Boise State, 81-75, Saturday afternoon at Clune Arena.
The Falcons (5-12, 0-2) trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half before cutting the margin to 71-69 with less than three minutes remaining. While Boise State (11-6, 2-0) pushed its lead back to six points, Air Force again got back within two points with just 17 seconds on the clock. However, the Broncos, who shot 16-of-17 from the free throw line for the game, closed out the contest with four foul shots to secure the win.
Junior Dymond James (Brambleton, Va.) led Air Force with a season-best 24 points, adding 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the year. Sophomore Michelle Ivey (Stone Mountain, Ga.) registered a career-high 18 points for the Falcons, while junior Alicia Leipprandt (Ubly, Mich.) scored 16 points.
Lauren Lenhardt led three Broncos in double-digits, scoring a game-high 29 points.
Despite being outshot in the opening half, Air Force used their advantage at the charity stripe to stake a 33-32 lead at the break. The Falcons converted on 13-of-16 shots from the foul line in the first period, while the Broncos attempted just three free throws.
However, Boise State regained their advantage in the second half by knocking down free throws and three-pointers. The Broncos scored six three-pointers in the final period alone, all within the first 12 minutes of the half.
Air Force, which registered its second-best scoring output of the season, shot over 44 percent from the field for the game, and held a slight edge (38-36) on rebounds.
"I'm very proud of the way our team played today," said Air Force head coach Andrea Williams. "Our focus and energy were there, and our practice preparation carried over to the game, something that hasn't happened for awhile. Our players stepped up and answered the challenge, and most importantly, stuck together. This game will only make us even more hungry for Wyoming next week."
The Falcons are back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 18, when they visit Wyoming in a 7:00 p.m. contest.
