Falcons storm back, but clouds break in loss to Yellow Jackets

ESTERO, Fla.- Trailing by as much as 23 points, Air Force clawed its way back into the game as the 4th quarter developed, though the deficit proved to be too much to overcome as the Falcons were defeated 65-59 on Saturday.

"Georgia Tech was another team that had us on inches and pounds at every position," said head coach Chris Gobrecht. "We were doing so many things that would have been successful if we weren't dealing with such a physical difference between the two teams."

Madison Smith broke the 20-point barrier for the first time in her career, scoring 22 on 8-20 shooting from the field. Smith has tallied at least 12 points in four of her five games this season. Kamri Heath and Taylor Britt contributed 11 points each.

Jo Huntimer added five assists and four rebounds from her point guard position, as the sophomore is now averaging 5.67 assists per game over her first six games this season.

The Falcons were heavily disadvantaged in the post, leading to a 45-23 rebound discrepancy in favor of the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech scored 40 of its 65 points in the paint.

"The boards make such a difference," said Gobrecht. "They had so many second chances because they were that much bigger and that much more athletic."

In a game of runs, Air Force was consistently playing catch-up. Georgia Tech opened the game with a 10-0 run, though the Falcons did well to close the gap with a 13-6 blitz of their own as the 1st quarter closed.

Over the first three minutes of the 2nd quarter, the Yellow Jackets again imposed themselves early, building a 28-15 lead as the result of a 12-2 run. However, the Falcons maintained their mettle as Air Force countered Georgia Tech with a 14-7 scoring run to create a 35-29 halftime deficit.

The 3rd quarter did not go as planned, as the Yellow Jackets shot 62.5% (10-16) in the period to just 18.2% (2-11) for Air Force. The Falcons 3rd quarter woes led to a 58-38 advantage for Georgia Tech entering the 4th quarter.

As cadets tend to do, Air Force battled back. The Falcons trimmed what was once a 23-point deficit to just 10 points over the first six minutes of the final quarter. Coach Gobrecht's team forced seven turnovers and allowed just three made shots in the final 10 minutes, cutting the Georgia Tech lead to as little six points. Even so, Air Force's comeback was not to be.

"I was pleased with our fight to get back in the game," said Gobrecht. "I thought that we showed a lot of character in doing that. It's been three-straight games of just being physically overmatched and having to compete, and I think we've learned a lot in the whole experience."

Next, Air Force closes its time at the Gulf Coast Showcase against the St. Louis Billikens. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 am MT on Sunday, November 27.

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