Air Force Academy
New Mexico
Women’s Basketball Heads to New Mexico for New Year’s Day CBS Showdown
12/31/2022 7:56:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Air Force (6-7, 1-0 MW) at New Mexico (8-5, 0-0 MW)
The Pit | Albuquerque, N.M.
Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023 – 6:30 p.m. MT
Air Force | New Mexico | Mountain West
Watch- CBS Sports | Listen- XtraSports AM 1300| Live Stats
Game Notes
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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – After a short stop back at the USAFA campus to open Mountain West play, the Air Force women's basketball team returns to the road, opening a three-game road slate at New Mexico on New Year's Day.
Falcons at a Glance:
Air Force, entering Sunday's game following a 77-63 win over Utah State at home to open league play, has made its mark on the defensive side so far this season, leading the Mountain West in turnover margin (8.23) and turnovers forced per-game (22.46), with both figures ranking 10th and 15th on the national scene. The Falcons fall in at eighth in the nation- and lead the league- in steals per-game (13.1) behind a combined 65 total steals from both sophomore Jo Huntimer and senior Kamri Heath. Heath leads the Mountain West in total steals (34) and steals per-game (2.62.).
The Falcons' offensive rhythm is led by a backcourt consisting of Heath, sophomore Madison Smith, and junior Kayla PIlson, each averaging 15.6, 11.9, and 10.0 points per-game, respectively. Pilson, in eight games played on the season (missed five due to injury), leads the Falcons' rebounding effort, averaging 5.4 boards per-game.
Air Force has fallen by eight points or less in four of their seven losses- three of which have been by two possessions or less. Five 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).
The Engine That Makes It Go:
Kamri Heath leads Air Force in multiple scoring categories: Points (203), points per-game (15.6), field goals (83), field goal attempts (182) and field goal percentage (.456). Heath has posted double-digit scores in eleven of the Falcons' first twelve games and scored 20-plus in three contests, an effort underscored by a career-high 27-point outing against Navy in the Falcons' home opener on Nov. 11. Heath has scored in double-digits in 12 of the Falcons' first 13 games, and five-straight.
Smith's Sophomore Surge:
Into the second season of her intercollegiate career, Madison Smith has proven an emergent figure in the Falcons' starting lineup, averaging 11.9 points per-game. Smith's 16-42 from three marks a team-high in made three-pointers and attempts, while shooting at a.381 clip- also a team-high. Smith is currently 23-24 (.958) from the free-throw line, with her lone missed attempt occurring versus No. 22 Michigan on (Nov. 25).
At Northwestern (Dec. 17), Smith led both teams in scoring, posting 21 points on the night behind an unblemished 10-10 from the stripe- one point shy of matching her career-high set against Georgia Tech in the Gulf Coast Showcase (Nov. 26).
Wa'ahila Workhorse
Honolulu native Jo Huntimer leads the Falcons in assists (64), assists per-game (4.9) and assist/turnover ratio (1.78)- all categories top-two figures among the Mountain West. On the defensive side, Huntimer follows up Kamri Heath as a major contributor in total steals (31) and steals per-game (2.38).
Versus Utah State on Dec. 29., Huntimer logged ten points on 3-6 shooting and two threes, while adding seven rebounds and six assists along the way.
Defend Your Castle
Air Force is 5-1 in Clune Arena, with wins over Navy, Adams State, UCCS, UTEP, and Utah State. The Falcons' lone home loss occurred at the hands of a quad-one Utah Tech squad, who escaped Clune with a 73-70 win in the final minute of regulation.
Lobos at a Glance:
UNM enters Sunday's contest the winners of four of its last five contests, with its lone loss through that stretch occurring at the hands of Mississippi State on Dec. 21. Last time out, the Lobos downed SC State at home, 107-55, on Dec. 29.
New Mexico ranks 14th nationally in blocks per-game (5.2) behind Shaquiel McGruder's 36 total blocks and 2.77 blocks per-game- both conference-leading figures. UNM ranks second among the Mountain West in steals per-game with 11.5- just second to Air Force's 13.1.
On offense, the Lobos post top-12 numbers in both total three-point attempts per-game (27.8) and three-pointers per-game (8.9). LaTascya Duff leads the Lobos' distance scoring efforts and the Mountain West in three-point attempts (110), three-pointers made (39) and three-pointers per-game (3.25).
Last Time/All-Time:
UNM owns a 46-4 all-time advantage over Air Force, with the Falcons' last win over the Lobos a 75-73 victory at Clune Arena on Feb. 24, 2021.
2021-22 Mountain West Recap:
Air Force crafted its most successful season in program history in 2021-22, as the Falcons' 19 overall wins and 11 conference victories were both program-bests. Air Force claimed four season-sweeps of conference opponents, also a program first. The Falcons secured the program's first-ever bye in the Mountain West Tournament where they defeated Nevada to advance to the semifinal round for the first time in program history.
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 61 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:
The Falcons opened Mountain West competition with a 77-63 win over Utah State to open league play 1-0 and improve to 5-1 at Clune Arena. On Dec. 29.
25 turnovers forced by the Falcons generating 28 points in the process proved the major difference once again, in turn allowing 64 shots on the night at the Aggie basket and a 9-21 clip (.430) from distance- a season-high in made three-pointers and resulting success rate.
Senior Kamri Heath led the floor in offensive production, scoring 18 points on 7-13 from the field and 4-4 from the free-throw line. Heath's performance marked her fifth-straight game scoring ten or more, and 12th on the season.
Sophomore Jo Huntimer logged ten points on 3-6 shooting and two threes, while adding seven rebounds and six assists; Madison Smith tallied 11 points on 3-5 from beyond the arc, and three assists.
How To Follow:
Sunday's game at UNM will be nationally broadcast via cable subscription on CBS Sports; Radio coverage will be provided by XtraSports AM 1300 with Ryan Kaufman giving the courtside call; a link to live statistics and play-by-play breakdown can be found on the women's basketball schedule page on goairforcefalcons.com.
Next Up:
Air Force women's basketball picks up the second leg of its three-stop road trip, taking on San Jose State on NBC Sports, Jan. 5 at 7:00 p.m. MT.
