Women’s Basketball Comeback Falls Short at Nevada

RENO, Nev. – A slow start entering both halves in Saturday's game against Nevada for the Air Force women's basketball team ultimately proved costly, as the Falcons were unable to complete a late comeback in the final minutes against Nevada at the Lawlor Events Center.

Madison Smith led scoring on the floor for the second-consecutive game, logging 17 points and adding four rebounds, an assist, two blocks and two steals along the way.

Jo Huntimer totaled 12 points, four assists, four rebounds and four steals on the afternoon. Huntimer's four assists- totaling 201 for her career- moves the sophomore into ninth in career assists in the Falcons' Division I era.

Air Force went 11-12 (.917) from the free-throw line behind Huntimer's perfect 6-6 at the stripe. The Falcons have shot 80% or higher in seven games, and 90% in four games this season.

The Falcons (7-9, 2-2 MW) struggled to find their footing in the early stages of the first and third quarters, as a late push that resulted in a one-possession game with seconds remaining in the final minute of regulation fell short. Four Air Force turnovers in the opening three minutes of the contest allowed Nevada to open the day on a 7-0 run, before Kamri Heath was able to knock down a pair of baskets to bring the Falcons back within one possession. Nevada then climbed back to a six-point lead, before a five-point push for Kayla Pilson and a Smith layup brought the score to 13-11 to end the first quarter.

The second was underscored by five lead changes, starting off with the Falcons claiming their first lead of the contest after Huntimer's first successful three of the game and a Dasha Macmillan driving layup to take a 16-15 lead three minutes into the quarter. Down 23-22, Smith's one three-pointer of the game at the top of the arc reclaimed the lead, but Nevada answered with a three-pointer of their own to send the Falcons into the locker room down 26-24.

Entering the second half Air Force struggled to get going once again, going 0-4 in the first two minutes and allowing the Pack to extend its lead to 30-24 before Smith could find the basket on a turnaround layup to get the Falcon offense moving once again. Nevada managed to stay ahead of Air Force's efforts to gain ground throughout the remainder of the quarter, entering the fourth leading 46-39.

Nevada managed to keep its lead through the fourth and led by as much as nine with three minutes remaining. With 24 seconds left in regulation and the score favoring Nevada 62-55, Taylor Britt (6 PTS, 2 REB, 2 STL) made a clean steal on a Nevada in-bounds pass at mid-court and took it to the basket, pulling Air Force back within five.

Circumstances continued to fall in place for an improbable Falcon comeback, as Huntimer turned Nevada over on the proceeding possession and immediately was fouled by Kennedy Lee, resulting in a pair of successful free throws to bring Air Force back within one possession with 21 seconds to go.

Down by four after a Huntimer foul on the opposite end awarded Nevada with a made free-throw with 14 seconds to go, the Falcons found Smith out on the perimeter with a chance to bring the game back within one point, but the attempt was no good.

Saturday's game marked the Falcons' third road game in seven days before returning to the academy for a three-game home stand, starting off with hosting Wyoming on Jan. 11.

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