Air Force's eye-opening year comes to an end at UCLA

LOS ANGELES, Calif.- Air Force's dream season came to an end at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday, as the Falcons were not able to keep up with the UCLA Bruins in a 61-45 loss during the Second Round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament.

Haley Jones, who grew up just down the road in Torrance, lived out a childhood dream of playing on the Bruins home floor. Jones was as thankful for the opportunity as she was productive, leading Air Force in both points (10) and rebounds (12). Sunday marks her fifth and final double-double of the 2021-22 season.

Jones ends her Air Force career 614 career rebounds, the 5th-most by any player since 1996. Her 276 rebounds this season is the second-most in a single-season in the Division I era.

Riley Snyder finished with 9 points, while both Cierra Winters and Jo Huntimer scored 8 points. Huntimer was 3-3 from the field, including 2-2 from long range. Her three assists led Air Force, as Huntimer ends her freshman season with 122 assists, the most by a first-year player since Kallie Quinn in 1994-95.

Huntimer's 117 rebounds this season is also seventh-best among Air Force freshman in the program's Division I history.

Snyder, an All-Mountain West selection this season, will retire with 1,614 points, the fourth-highest point total in program history. She is one of only eight players ever to have played in at least 117 games, while her 110 starts is third all-time since the program's inception.

The Fruita, Colo. native's career 13.8 PPG average is the highest per game scoring average of any player since the program transitioned to Division I play in 1996.

The Falcons found the athleticism of UCLA difficult to corral, as the Bruins finished 47% from the field. Conversely, the Bruins length and constant 2-3 zoning on the defensive end forced too many extended possessions. The Falcons finished the day just 19-64 (29.7%) from the field.

Chris Gobrecht's team was just 4-21 (19%) from behind the three-point line. As well, Air Force also didn't do itself any favors at the free throw line, making just 3 of 10 attempts.

The visitor's exchanged the lead with home side over the first three minutes of the game, but UCLA's 7-6 advantage at the 5:35 mark of the first quarter would hold until the final buzzer.

Air Force's 19 wins this season are the most in Division I program history, and the most by the women's basketball program since the 1989-90 season.

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