Thursday, February 23
USAFA, CO
11:00 AM MT
Air Force Academy
vs
New Mexico
Women’s Basketball Opens Final Home Stand Hosting New Mexico
2/22/2023 10:47:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Coach Gobrecht Discusses Senior Careers, Team Expectations As MWC Tournament Approaches
Air Force (12-15, 7-8 MW) vs. New Mexico (17-11, 9-6 MW)
Clune Arena | USAFA, Colo.
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2023 | 11:00 a.m. MT
Air Force | New Mexico | Mountain West
Watch – Mountain West Network | Listen – XtraSports AM 1300
Live Stats | Game Notes
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
In the first of a pair of home games marking the final home weekend of the 2022-23 season in Clune Arena, the Air Force women's basketball team hosts New Mexico on Thursday morning in search of a series split with the Lobos.
Falcons at a Glance:
Air Force offensive production is led by a backcourt duo consisting of senior Kamri Heath and sophomore Madison Smith, both averaging 13.2 and 12.9 respective points per game.
Junior Kayla Pilson leads Air Force in rebounding, with 100 on the year – 36 of which are on the offensive side, also a program high.
Air Force ranks 12th nationally in turnover margin (6.11) and 18th in steals per game (10.7), while filing in at 34th in turnovers forced per game (19.52), all Mountain West-leading figures.
2022-23 Mountain West Conference Tournament:
First Round | Sunday, March 5:
Game 1 | #8 Seed vs. #9 Seed | 2 p.m. PT
Game 2 | #7 Seed vs. #10 Seed | 4:30 p.m. PT
Game 3: | #6 Seed vs. #11 Seed | 7 p.m. PT
Quarterfinal | Monday, March 6:
Game 1: #1 Seed vs. Winner First Round Game 1 | 12 p.m. PT
Game 2: #4 Seed vs. #5 Seed | 2:30 p.m. PT
Game 3: #2 Seed vs. Winner First Round Game 2 | 5 p.m. PT
Game 4: #3 Seed vs. Winner First Round #3 | 7:30 p.m. PT
Semifinal | Tuesday, March 7:
Game 1: Winner Quarterfinal Game 1 vs. Winner Quarterfinal Game 2 | 5 p.m. PT
Game 2: Winner Quarterfinal Game 3 vs. Winner Quarterfinal Game 4 | 7:30 p.m. PT
Championship | Wednesday, March 8 | 7 p.m. MT
Maddie Ice:
Into the second season of her intercollegiate career, sophomore Madison Smith has stepped into a significant role for the Falcons, averaging 26 minutes and 12.9 points per game after averaging just six minutes of floor time in 2021-22. Smith accounts for over 20 percent of Falcon's successful three-point attempts; 33-92 from three-point land marks a team high in made three-pointers and attempts.
Tip of the Spear:
Senior Kamri Heath leads the Falcons in both field goal percentage (.469) and field goals made(148), while averaging 13.2 from the field. Touted by head coach Chris Gobrecht as having the "best jumper in the conference," Heath has posted double-digit scoring in 19 of the Falcons' 26 games this season, resetting her career high (27) on Nov. 11 against Navy.
Service Before Self:
Sophomore Jo Huntimer leads Air Force in total assists (118), assists per game (4.4) and assist/turnover ratio (2.23) - all top-four figures among Mountain West competitors. On the defensive side, Huntimer leads the program in total steals (60) and steals per game (2.22). Huntimer has logged multiple steals in 18 of the Falcons' 27 games, posting a career-high six against Colorado on Nov. 19 and tying that figure against Boise State on Feb. 17.
With 118 assists on the season and 240 for her collegiate career, Huntimer currently resides in fifth on the program's Division I assists leaderboard, surpassing LaToya Howell (2001-03) at Fresno State on Feb. 2. 38 more career assists will tie fourth, currently held by former Falcon Cherae Medina (2010-14).
Defend Your Castle:
Air Force is 8-4 in Clune Arena, with home wins over Navy, Adams State, UCCS, UTEP, Utah State, Fresno State, San Jose State and Colorado State. Two of the Falcons' home losses (73-70 vs. Utah Tech, 61-60 vs. Wyoming) fell to the final possession of regulation.
A 5-1 start to the season in Clune marks a standard which had not been achieved since the program's final year as a member of Division II in 1995-96, in which Air Force went 7-1 at home before closing its season at 7-3.
Milahnie Stepping Up:
Freshman Milahnie Perry led Air Force scoring in the month of January, averaging 18.0 points per game through a 3-1 stretch which included wins against San Jose, Fresno State and a road win at Utah State.
Versus Wyoming (Jan. 11), Perry totaled 22 points on 6-10 from the field, doubling her previous career high. The freshman shot an unblemished 9-9 from the free-throw line - another career benchmark – while logging one three-pointer and two rebounds along the way. 12 of Perry's 22 points came in the fourth quarter, willing the Falcons back into the game from a seven-point deficit.
Against Fresno State (Jan. 14), Perry posted 17 points behind 5-8 (.625) shooting and 3-4 from three-point range. Perry's nine-point fourth quarter held Fresno at length, allowing Air Force to hold on for the win.
In the Falcons' 77-70 win over San Jose State on Jan. 16, Perry led Air Force in scoring for the third-straight game, posting 21 points on 8-14 from the field. 11 points from Perry in the second quarter stifled a pair of scoring runs for San Jose, notching her second double-digit quarter of the season.
Cardiac Cadets:
13 games this season have either been decided by two possessions or less, with six of those games falling to a single possession. At Colorado (Nov. 19), the Falcons trailed by two points entering the final minute of regulation before falling by eight, threatening the program's first-ever win against a Power Five opponent. At Northwestern (Dec. 17), Air Force led their Big Ten opponent with 2:30 remaining in regulation before the Wildcats slipped away, winning 64-58.
Lobos at a Glance:
Winners of four of their last five contests, sixth-place New Mexico returns to Clune Arena on the hunt for a first-round bye in the upcoming Mountain West Conference Tournament.
UNM leads the Mountain West in three-pointers (8.4) and three-point attempts (25.5) per game; Three Lobos currently shoot 35 percent or higher from three-point range, led by senior guard LaTascya Duff, posting .380 (75-197) from distance on the year.
Senior forward Shaquiel McGruder leads UNM on the stat sheet on both ends of the floor, leading the Lobos in field goal percentage (.560), points (374) and rebounds per game (7.1) while also posting team highs in steals per game (1.86) and blocks per game (2.00).
All-Time/Last Time:
Air Force seeks its fifth program victory with a win over UNM on Thursday.
On Jan. 1, The Falcons fell to New Mexico, 70-58, in Albuquerque. In the game, the Falcons were led on the floor by a 16-point showing for both starters Nikki McDonald and Madison Smith.
Last Time Out:
Down by as much as 17 points in the fourth quarter on Feb. 18 at Colorado State, managed to rally back down the stretch to a one-point game, but ultimately fell short, falling 67-64 in Fort Collins.
Four Falcons closed the game in double digits, with sophomore Madison Smith atop the pack with 15; junior Kayla Pilson and sophomore Jo Huntimer (4-6 FG, 3-3 3PT) closed with 11 apiece; Senior Kamri Heath posted ten.
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 tournament semifinal round for the first time in program history. 11 wins in Clune Arena proved a Division I record for the Falcons, and the winningest home season for Air Force since the 1991-92 season (13-2).
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 68 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.
How To Follow:
Thursday's game will be free for viewing via the Mountain West Network, with Jean Parker (PxP) and Rachel Galligan (Analyst) on the call; XtraSports AM 1300 (Ryan Kaufman) and the Varsity Sports Network will be covering the Falcons' radio broadcast from courtside; Live statistics are available via the women's basketball schedule page on goairforcefalcons.com.
Up Next:
Saturday is Senior Day at Clune Arena, as Air Force women's basketball honors 2023 Academy graduates Kamri Heath and Nikki McDonald prior to a 1 p.m. tip off against Nevada for the Falcons' final home game of the 2022-23 season.
Clune Arena | USAFA, Colo.
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2023 | 11:00 a.m. MT
Air Force | New Mexico | Mountain West
Watch – Mountain West Network | Listen – XtraSports AM 1300
Live Stats | Game Notes
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
In the first of a pair of home games marking the final home weekend of the 2022-23 season in Clune Arena, the Air Force women's basketball team hosts New Mexico on Thursday morning in search of a series split with the Lobos.
Falcons at a Glance:
Air Force offensive production is led by a backcourt duo consisting of senior Kamri Heath and sophomore Madison Smith, both averaging 13.2 and 12.9 respective points per game.
Junior Kayla Pilson leads Air Force in rebounding, with 100 on the year – 36 of which are on the offensive side, also a program high.
Air Force ranks 12th nationally in turnover margin (6.11) and 18th in steals per game (10.7), while filing in at 34th in turnovers forced per game (19.52), all Mountain West-leading figures.
2022-23 Mountain West Conference Tournament:
First Round | Sunday, March 5:
Game 1 | #8 Seed vs. #9 Seed | 2 p.m. PT
Game 2 | #7 Seed vs. #10 Seed | 4:30 p.m. PT
Game 3: | #6 Seed vs. #11 Seed | 7 p.m. PT
Quarterfinal | Monday, March 6:
Game 1: #1 Seed vs. Winner First Round Game 1 | 12 p.m. PT
Game 2: #4 Seed vs. #5 Seed | 2:30 p.m. PT
Game 3: #2 Seed vs. Winner First Round Game 2 | 5 p.m. PT
Game 4: #3 Seed vs. Winner First Round #3 | 7:30 p.m. PT
Semifinal | Tuesday, March 7:
Game 1: Winner Quarterfinal Game 1 vs. Winner Quarterfinal Game 2 | 5 p.m. PT
Game 2: Winner Quarterfinal Game 3 vs. Winner Quarterfinal Game 4 | 7:30 p.m. PT
Championship | Wednesday, March 8 | 7 p.m. MT
Maddie Ice:
Into the second season of her intercollegiate career, sophomore Madison Smith has stepped into a significant role for the Falcons, averaging 26 minutes and 12.9 points per game after averaging just six minutes of floor time in 2021-22. Smith accounts for over 20 percent of Falcon's successful three-point attempts; 33-92 from three-point land marks a team high in made three-pointers and attempts.
Tip of the Spear:
Senior Kamri Heath leads the Falcons in both field goal percentage (.469) and field goals made(148), while averaging 13.2 from the field. Touted by head coach Chris Gobrecht as having the "best jumper in the conference," Heath has posted double-digit scoring in 19 of the Falcons' 26 games this season, resetting her career high (27) on Nov. 11 against Navy.
Service Before Self:
Sophomore Jo Huntimer leads Air Force in total assists (118), assists per game (4.4) and assist/turnover ratio (2.23) - all top-four figures among Mountain West competitors. On the defensive side, Huntimer leads the program in total steals (60) and steals per game (2.22). Huntimer has logged multiple steals in 18 of the Falcons' 27 games, posting a career-high six against Colorado on Nov. 19 and tying that figure against Boise State on Feb. 17.
With 118 assists on the season and 240 for her collegiate career, Huntimer currently resides in fifth on the program's Division I assists leaderboard, surpassing LaToya Howell (2001-03) at Fresno State on Feb. 2. 38 more career assists will tie fourth, currently held by former Falcon Cherae Medina (2010-14).
Defend Your Castle:
Air Force is 8-4 in Clune Arena, with home wins over Navy, Adams State, UCCS, UTEP, Utah State, Fresno State, San Jose State and Colorado State. Two of the Falcons' home losses (73-70 vs. Utah Tech, 61-60 vs. Wyoming) fell to the final possession of regulation.
A 5-1 start to the season in Clune marks a standard which had not been achieved since the program's final year as a member of Division II in 1995-96, in which Air Force went 7-1 at home before closing its season at 7-3.
Milahnie Stepping Up:
Freshman Milahnie Perry led Air Force scoring in the month of January, averaging 18.0 points per game through a 3-1 stretch which included wins against San Jose, Fresno State and a road win at Utah State.
Versus Wyoming (Jan. 11), Perry totaled 22 points on 6-10 from the field, doubling her previous career high. The freshman shot an unblemished 9-9 from the free-throw line - another career benchmark – while logging one three-pointer and two rebounds along the way. 12 of Perry's 22 points came in the fourth quarter, willing the Falcons back into the game from a seven-point deficit.
Against Fresno State (Jan. 14), Perry posted 17 points behind 5-8 (.625) shooting and 3-4 from three-point range. Perry's nine-point fourth quarter held Fresno at length, allowing Air Force to hold on for the win.
In the Falcons' 77-70 win over San Jose State on Jan. 16, Perry led Air Force in scoring for the third-straight game, posting 21 points on 8-14 from the field. 11 points from Perry in the second quarter stifled a pair of scoring runs for San Jose, notching her second double-digit quarter of the season.
Cardiac Cadets:
13 games this season have either been decided by two possessions or less, with six of those games falling to a single possession. At Colorado (Nov. 19), the Falcons trailed by two points entering the final minute of regulation before falling by eight, threatening the program's first-ever win against a Power Five opponent. At Northwestern (Dec. 17), Air Force led their Big Ten opponent with 2:30 remaining in regulation before the Wildcats slipped away, winning 64-58.
Lobos at a Glance:
Winners of four of their last five contests, sixth-place New Mexico returns to Clune Arena on the hunt for a first-round bye in the upcoming Mountain West Conference Tournament.
UNM leads the Mountain West in three-pointers (8.4) and three-point attempts (25.5) per game; Three Lobos currently shoot 35 percent or higher from three-point range, led by senior guard LaTascya Duff, posting .380 (75-197) from distance on the year.
Senior forward Shaquiel McGruder leads UNM on the stat sheet on both ends of the floor, leading the Lobos in field goal percentage (.560), points (374) and rebounds per game (7.1) while also posting team highs in steals per game (1.86) and blocks per game (2.00).
All-Time/Last Time:
Air Force seeks its fifth program victory with a win over UNM on Thursday.
On Jan. 1, The Falcons fell to New Mexico, 70-58, in Albuquerque. In the game, the Falcons were led on the floor by a 16-point showing for both starters Nikki McDonald and Madison Smith.
Last Time Out:
Down by as much as 17 points in the fourth quarter on Feb. 18 at Colorado State, managed to rally back down the stretch to a one-point game, but ultimately fell short, falling 67-64 in Fort Collins.
Four Falcons closed the game in double digits, with sophomore Madison Smith atop the pack with 15; junior Kayla Pilson and sophomore Jo Huntimer (4-6 FG, 3-3 3PT) closed with 11 apiece; Senior Kamri Heath posted ten.
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 tournament semifinal round for the first time in program history. 11 wins in Clune Arena proved a Division I record for the Falcons, and the winningest home season for Air Force since the 1991-92 season (13-2).
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 68 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.
How To Follow:
Thursday's game will be free for viewing via the Mountain West Network, with Jean Parker (PxP) and Rachel Galligan (Analyst) on the call; XtraSports AM 1300 (Ryan Kaufman) and the Varsity Sports Network will be covering the Falcons' radio broadcast from courtside; Live statistics are available via the women's basketball schedule page on goairforcefalcons.com.
Up Next:
Saturday is Senior Day at Clune Arena, as Air Force women's basketball honors 2023 Academy graduates Kamri Heath and Nikki McDonald prior to a 1 p.m. tip off against Nevada for the Falcons' final home game of the 2022-23 season.
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