Air Force hangs tight with CU in 58-53 loss

USAFA, Colo. - The Falcons stingy defense kept the home team within striking distance throughout all four quarters, though Colorado did just enough to sneak past Air Force 58-53.

Cierra Winters led the Falcons with 16 points, a new career-high for the senior. She finished the afternoon 6-8 from the field (75%), while also managing a game-high six steals and three rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Of note, Dasha Macmillan and Riley Snyder each scored 11 points, while Haley Jones led all players with nine rebounds. Jones also secured five steals.

The Falcons will certainly be replaying missed scoring opportunities within their minds, as Air Force finished the matinee matchup having shot only 34.5% from the field (19-55). The rangier Buffaloes were also the more effective team underneath the rim, shooting 63.3% in the paint (19-30), whereas the Falcons struggled to convert the closer looks at the basket. Air Force ended the day scoring only 36% of its attempts in the paint (9-25). Coach Gobrecht's team did use the three-ball to hang around, as Macmillan and Snyder each knocked down three three-pointers. Air Force was 8-24 from deep (33%), while Colorado was 4-13 (31%). In a see-saw affair in which both teams combined for 47 turnovers, Colorado outscored Air Force 26-14 in points from takeaways.

Air Force's last lead of the game was at the 1:46 mark of the first quarter, as Falcons trailed 30-24 heading into the halftime break. The Buffaloes extended their lead to a game-high 11 points halfway through the third quarter, though the Falcons gritted their teeth before raising the tension levels within Clune Arena. Air Force entered the fourth quarter trailing 46-36, but the deficit shrunk to a single point after the Falcons opened the final quarter on a 14-5 run. A Winters layup with 2:17 left in the game saw the Buffaloes clinging to a slim 51-50 lead, though Colorado immediately answered on the ensuing possession. An unguarded Jaylyn Sherrod knocked down a wide-open three-pointer to extend the Colorado lead to 54-50 with 1:59 still to go.

With the home team looking for an answer of its own, Jones was short on a three-point try, leading to a Colorado fast-break. Winter's fifth and final foul eventually saw CU's Kindyll Wetta convert one of her two free throw attempts, extending the Colorado lead to 55-50. On the following possession, Briana Autrey-Thompson turned the ball over with 44 seconds left, forcing Air Force to foul. Sherrod connected on one of her two attempts, giving CU a 56-50 lead with 31 seconds remaining.

A Snyder three-pointer with 14 seconds left gave the Falcons some life with time waning, though Colorado's Frida Formann put the game out of reach after she knocked down two late free throws. With the loss, Air Force is now 0-7 all-time against Colorado.

Next, the Falcons will travel to California to play the San Diego Toreros on Wednesday, November 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm MT.

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Team Stats

Cierra Winters

Riley Snyder

Dasha Macmillan

Autrey-Thompson Briana

Players Mentioned

Briana Autrey-Thompson

Haley Jones

Dasha Macmillan

Riley Snyder

Cierra Winters

Players Mentioned

Briana Autrey-Thompson

Haley Jones

Dasha Macmillan

Riley Snyder

Cierra Winters

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