Air Force Academy
Oklahoma State
Women’s Basketball Takes on Oklahoma State in Non-Conference Finale
12/19/2022 8:52:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Air Force (5-6, 0-0 MWC) at Oklahoma State (8-2, 0-0 Big XII)
Gallagher-Iba Arena | Stillwater, Okla.
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 – 10:00 a.m. MT
Air Force | Oklahoma State | Mountain West
Watch- ESPN+ | Listen-okstate.com | Live Stats
Game Notes
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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – With Mountain West play rapidly approaching for the Air Force women's basketball team, the Falcons' non-conference gauntlet presents one final challenge- a stop in Stillwater, Okla. to face off against Big XII opponent Oklahoma State on Tuesday morning.
Falcons at a Glance:
The Air Force offensive rhythm is led by a backcourt trio consisting of senior Kamri Heath and sophomores Jo Huntimer and Madison Smith. Heath and Smith drive the Falcons' scoring effort, both averaging a team-high 14.9 and 12.9 points per-game, respectively.
The Falcons continue to prove their strength on the defensive end of the floor, currently ranked sixth in the nation in steals per-game (13.8) and 13th in turnovers forced per-game (23.18).
Heath and Huntimer, both boasting 30 steals apiece to start the season, tie at 23rd in the nation in total steals, and 37th in steals per-game (2.73). Both figures for Heath and Huntimer lead the Mountain West.
Air Force, with a 5-6 record, has fallen by eight points or less in four of their six losses- three of which have been by two possessions or less. Four of the Falcons' defeats have come at the hands of Power Five opponents- two of which were a one-possession game heading into the final minute of regulation (at Colorado, at Northwestern).
Tip of the Spear
Kamri Heath leads Air Force in multiple scoring categories: Points (109), points per-game (14.9), field goals (66), field goal percentage (.431) and free-throw percentage (.800). Heath has posted double-digit scores in eleven of the Falcons' first twelve games, posting a career-high 27 points against Navy in the Falcons' home opener.
Smith's Sophomore Surge
Madison Smith has proven an emergent figure in the Falcons' starting lineup, averaging 12.5 points per-game. Smith's .364 three-point percentage is the high-water mark among Air Force contributors with 20 or more attempts from distance. Smith is currently 21-22 (.955) from the free-throw line, with her only missed attempt occurring versus No. 22 Michigan on Nov. 25.
Wa'ahila Workhorse
Honolulu native Jo Huntimer leads the Falcons in assists (53), assists per-game (4.8) and assist/turnover ratio (1.66). On the defensive side, Huntimer, along with Kamri Heath, both tie for the lead among the Mountain West in total steals (30) and steals per-game (2.73). Huntimer, with 53 assists on the year thus far and 175 for her career, is just 69 shy of claiming the tenth spot on the Falcons' all-time assists record list.
Scouting Oklahoma State:
OSU (8-2) enters Tuesday riding three-straight wins at Gallagher-Iba Arena, with the Pokes' last loss coming at the hands of Purdue in the Women's Cancun Challenge on Nov. 25.
The Cowgirls have been able to exert their will from beyond the arc throughout non-conference play, running three starters (Naomie Alnatas, Claire Chastain, Lior Garzon) sporting a .388-or-better three-point percentage and shooting a .374 average as a whole.
Garzon logged her third consecutive 20-point outing on Sunday against UNLV, finishing with a game-high 20 points and was one of four Cowgirls to reach double figures. Terryn Milton finished with 16 points, while Lexy Keys added 15 and Chastain scored 11. For the contest, OSU shot 55 percent from the floor and dished out 20 assists, while holding the Lady Rebels to a 36 percent shooting effort.
All-Time Time Versus the Cowgirls:
Air Force has faced Oklahoma State once prior to Tuesday's contest- an 89-49 loss in Stillwater to open the 2007-08 season.
Coach G Gaining Ground
Head Coach Chris Gobrecht is currently serving her 43rd season as a head coach - the second-longest tenure in Division I women's hoops behind Stanford's Tara VanDerveer (44). Gobrecht's career win tally surpassed 600 wins in the Falcons' Nov. 11 home opener against Navy.
Into her eighth season at the head of the Falcons' program, Coach Gobrecht currently has 60 career Air Force wins to her name, making her the all-time winningest coach at three separate institutions- Air Force, Yale and Washington.
Gobrecht was named 2021-22 Mountain West Coach of the Year following Air Force's successful 19-14 season – A year punctuated by Gobrecht's fourth career WNIT appearance as a head coach, and the Falcons' first postseason appearance and subsequent win in program history – a 64-60 victory over WCC opponent San Francisco on March 17.
Last Time Out:
On Saturday evening in Evanston, Ill., Air Force held a lead over Big Ten opponent Northwestern leading into the final minutes of its contest on Saturday night, but ultimately fell, 64-58, at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Smith led both teams in scoring, posting 21 points on the night- one point shy of matching her career-high set against Georgia Tech in the Gulf Coast Showcase (Nov. 26). Smith's efforts were largely led on by an unblemished 10-10 from the free-throw line.
Heath logged 12 points, three rebounds, an assist and three steals, marking her third-straight double-digit outing, and her tenth of the season, along with her sixth game with three or more steals.
Senior Nikki McDonald added 11 points to the Falcons' efforts, aided in part by a pair of successful three-point attempts in the third quarter. The senior also contributed three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
How to Follow:
Tuesday's contest will be available for subscription-based viewing on ESPN+; Audio streaming will be available via okstate.com; In-game statistics will be available through StatBroadcast® Systems.
Next Up:
The Falcons make their Mountain West debut on Dec. 29 against Utah State in Clune Arena.
