Women’s Basketball Bows Out in Opening Round of MW Tournament

Box Score | Post Game Interviews

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The 2022-23 season for the Air Force women's basketball team came to a close on Sunday, as the Falcons were outpaced by San Jose State, falling 62-51 at the Thomas and Mack Center.

Senior Nikki McDonald led Air Force in the final game of her intercollegiate career, earning 13 points on 5-8 shooting; Freshman Faith Shelton followed up with eight.

The difference ultimately proved to be a hot start for SJSU, in which the Spartans shot 3-4 from three-point range while going 42 percent from the field, pushing a double-digit lead in the early minutes of the game, giving San Jose an advantage they would leverage for the remainder of the game. Air Force struggled offensively through the first half, shooting 3-8 from the field and 1-7 from three; yet, despite the struggles, the Falcons managed to generate 11 first-half turnovers, keeping San Jose within reach.

Starting guard Jo Huntimer left the game midway through the second quarter with an apparent knee injury. The sophomore returned to the game shortly after, but it quickly became apparent that the injury was significant, resulting in her being inactive for the remainder of the game.

Entering the second half down by 13, an 11-2 Air Force run behind nine for Heath and Smith combined cut the Spartan lead to eight, breathing some life into the Falcons. Shortly after, the Falcons put up another 8-2 stretch, capped by a Faith Shelton three-pointer at the 1:56 mark to cut San Jose's lead back to four. But six-straight points for the Spartans to close the quarter pushed San Jose back out to a ten-point lead heading into the fourth.

A nine-point surge for McDonald in the fourth quarter, including four-straight baskets for the senior in as many possessions brought the Falcons back within four points with five minutes remaining in regulation, but San Jose ultimately put the game out of reach, outscoring Air Force 9-2 down a two-minute stretch in the closing phases of the game.

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