Wednesday, January 10
Reno, Nev.
7:30 PM MT
Air Force Academy
9-8,2-2Mountain West
75
at
71
Nevada
7-9,1-2Mountain West
1
2
3
4
F
Air Force
25
18
13
19
75
Nevada
13
15
20
23
71
Falcons overpower Nevada in first half, hold on for win over Wolfpack
1/11/2024 12:27:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RENO, Nev. – On Wednesday evening, the Air Force women's basketball team built a sizable lead over the Nevada Wolfpack behind a dominant first-half performance then overcame a Nevada comeback in the second to claim a 75-71 win.
The Falcons (9-8, 2-2 MW), who took a lead in opening seconds of the game behind a 14-0 run to start and led by as much as 20 points in the contest, saw their advantage slowly evaporate into a one-possession game down the final minute of regulation but never relinquished its lead.
Air Force shot a season-best 10-16 (.625) from three-point range, earning its best finishing mark from distance this season in back-to-back games and falling just short of the Academy single-game record (.727 vs. Regis, 01/08/05). Three Falcons – Keelie O'Hollaren (4-6), Jayda McNabb (2-3) and Milahnie Perry (2-3) – Each finished .667 from three with multiple attempts. Both Taylor Britt and Alexis Cortez added a three apiece, both going 1-1.
Facing an opponent which has similarly built its successes off its defense, Air Force inched out an advantage in the turnover game over Nevada, finishing with 17 to Nevada's 19. The first-half defensive figures were skewed heavily in Air Force's favor however, as the Falcons forced ten steals to Nevada's one, proving critical to the Falcons' final victory.
Air Force adjusted its starting lineup on Wednesday night, adding O'Hollaren and Cortez to its starting five, marking O'Hollaren's second career start and Cortez's first. Cortez closed her night with five points on 2-3 from the field and two assists in 24 minutes of floor time.
Three Falcons finished the contest in double digits. Perry earned 26 points and led the floor in scoring, going 2-3 from three-point range and 8-10 from the free throw line. O'Hollaren added 18 and McNabb scored 10. Perry's 26 represents her third game since Dec. 16 with 26 points or more.
Air Force gained an early lead over Nevada, going for 14-straight points and outscoring the Wolfpack 15-3 from the 5:27 mark of the first quarter to enter the second up 25-13 behind an early eight points for O'Hollaren . The Falcons' full-court press gave Nevada fits early on, allowing the Falcons to close the opening quarter with seven steals to the Wolfpack's one. With a minute remaining in the second, McNabb landed her second three-pointer of the night, leaving the Falcons 8-10 from three to finish the first half up 15.
In the second half, Air Force found itself up by 20 points after O'Hollaren landed her fourth three of the evening. Air Force went into bonus at six-minute mark in the quarter but just a minute later, Nevada found itself taking free throws after Dasha Macmillan and Cortez earned three quick fouls of their own. The Falcons held onto their lead but were outscored 20-13 in the quarter and found themselves in foul trouble as Madison Smith and Britt both had four fouls apiece and Cortez and McNabb had three.
Having to navigate its first game of the season with multiple players in foul trouble, the Falcons were facing down a Nevada comeback after a 10-0 run which had the Wolfpack back within single digits with less than two minutes to go, but 4-4 free throws from both Smtih and Perry held off the Wolfpack's final advance.
Wednesday's win marked Air Force's first in Reno since the Dec. 7, 2019, its third all-time at the Lawlor Events Center and just its second in the program's Division I history – Both of which have occurred during Chris Gobrecht's tenure as Air Force head coach.
Up Next:
Air Force women's basketball returns to Clune Arena to host No. 25/25 UNLV at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13.
The Falcons (9-8, 2-2 MW), who took a lead in opening seconds of the game behind a 14-0 run to start and led by as much as 20 points in the contest, saw their advantage slowly evaporate into a one-possession game down the final minute of regulation but never relinquished its lead.
Air Force shot a season-best 10-16 (.625) from three-point range, earning its best finishing mark from distance this season in back-to-back games and falling just short of the Academy single-game record (.727 vs. Regis, 01/08/05). Three Falcons – Keelie O'Hollaren (4-6), Jayda McNabb (2-3) and Milahnie Perry (2-3) – Each finished .667 from three with multiple attempts. Both Taylor Britt and Alexis Cortez added a three apiece, both going 1-1.
Facing an opponent which has similarly built its successes off its defense, Air Force inched out an advantage in the turnover game over Nevada, finishing with 17 to Nevada's 19. The first-half defensive figures were skewed heavily in Air Force's favor however, as the Falcons forced ten steals to Nevada's one, proving critical to the Falcons' final victory.
Air Force adjusted its starting lineup on Wednesday night, adding O'Hollaren and Cortez to its starting five, marking O'Hollaren's second career start and Cortez's first. Cortez closed her night with five points on 2-3 from the field and two assists in 24 minutes of floor time.
Three Falcons finished the contest in double digits. Perry earned 26 points and led the floor in scoring, going 2-3 from three-point range and 8-10 from the free throw line. O'Hollaren added 18 and McNabb scored 10. Perry's 26 represents her third game since Dec. 16 with 26 points or more.
Air Force gained an early lead over Nevada, going for 14-straight points and outscoring the Wolfpack 15-3 from the 5:27 mark of the first quarter to enter the second up 25-13 behind an early eight points for O'Hollaren . The Falcons' full-court press gave Nevada fits early on, allowing the Falcons to close the opening quarter with seven steals to the Wolfpack's one. With a minute remaining in the second, McNabb landed her second three-pointer of the night, leaving the Falcons 8-10 from three to finish the first half up 15.
In the second half, Air Force found itself up by 20 points after O'Hollaren landed her fourth three of the evening. Air Force went into bonus at six-minute mark in the quarter but just a minute later, Nevada found itself taking free throws after Dasha Macmillan and Cortez earned three quick fouls of their own. The Falcons held onto their lead but were outscored 20-13 in the quarter and found themselves in foul trouble as Madison Smith and Britt both had four fouls apiece and Cortez and McNabb had three.
Having to navigate its first game of the season with multiple players in foul trouble, the Falcons were facing down a Nevada comeback after a 10-0 run which had the Wolfpack back within single digits with less than two minutes to go, but 4-4 free throws from both Smtih and Perry held off the Wolfpack's final advance.
Wednesday's win marked Air Force's first in Reno since the Dec. 7, 2019, its third all-time at the Lawlor Events Center and just its second in the program's Division I history – Both of which have occurred during Chris Gobrecht's tenure as Air Force head coach.
Up Next:
Air Force women's basketball returns to Clune Arena to host No. 25/25 UNLV at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13.
Team Stats
USAFA
Nevada
FG%
.424
.411
3FG%
.625
.385
FT%
.750
.741
RB
33
40
TO
17
19
STL
13
8
Game Leaders
Pts
26
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
8
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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