Women’s basketball returns to Clune for Saturday afternoon bout with No. 25 UNLV

Sporting a 2-2 start in Mountain West play for the third-straight season, the Air Force women's basketball team returns to the Academy to host league-leading No. 25 UNLV on Saturday afternoon, 1 p.m. in Clune Arena.

Quick Hits:

	Air Force:	UNLV:
Record:	9-8 (2-2 MW)	13-1 (3-0 MW)
Last Game:	at Nevada (W, 75-71)	vs. San Jose State (W, 91-55)
Next Game:	at Colorado State (Jan. 17)	at San Diego State (Jan. 17)
2022-23 Record:	13-18 (8-10 MW)	31-3 (18-0 MW)

Coaches' Numbers:

	Air Force:	UNLV:
Head Coach:	Chris Gobrecht	Lindy La Roque
Alma Mater/Year:	USC, 1977	Oklahoma, 2015
Record w/ Program:	78-180 (2015-Current)	70-11 (2021-Current)
Career DI Record:	620-653 (1979-Current)	70-11 (2021-Current)

Falcons at a Glance:
Air Force enters Saturday's game against UNLV seeking its first-ever 3-2 start to league play in the program's Division I history. The Falcons return to Clune Arena following a 75-71 win at Nevada - just its second-ever road win over the Wolfpack.

Air Force scoring is led by sophomore Milahnie Perry and Madison Smith, both averaging 15.6 and 11.5 points per game, respectively.

The Falcons rank 16th nationally in steals per game (12.1) behind Taylor Britt (2.76) and Madison Smith (2.53), who rank 27th and 51st nationally in the category. Britt's 47 total steals on the season ranks 12th in the country and leads the Mountain West, while Smith's 43 falls in at 21st and is second in the conference. The Falcons also rank 30th nationally and are second in the Mountain West in turnovers forced per game (20.71) and rank 28th in turnover margin (5.29).

Freshman Jayda McNabb's 3.7 offensive rebounds per game currently leads the Mountain West and places her 28th in Division I. At 5'10", McNabb is one of five players in the country shorter than 6'0" currently averaging 3.7 offensive boards or greater.

McNabb and fellow newcomer Keelie O'Hollaren lead Air Force scoring from three-point range, both averaging .391 (9-23) and .367 (33-90), respectively.

Starting Off Right:
Air Force opened Mountain West play at 2-2 for the third-straight season, all three marking the best starts to conference play since Air Force joined Division I in 1996. A 3-2 start would be the best league mark a Falcon team has earned since 1994-95.

All-Time against UNLV:
Air Force has five wins all-time over the Lady Rebels, with their last occurring on Jan. 12, 2013 (81-69) in Clune under former head coach Andrea Williams.

Air Force is Undefeated Overall When...
- Scoring 70 or more points (5-0);
- Leading with five minutes to go (8-0);
- Shooting better than opponents (5-0);
- Out-rebounding opponents (5-0);
- Outscoring opponents in the paint (4-0).

Air Force is Undefeated in Clune Arena When...
- Leading opponents at halftime (4-0);
- Attempting 15 or more free throws (5-0);
- Opponents attempt 15 or more free throws (6-0);
- Leading in second-chance points (7-0);
- Leading in points off the bench (5-0);
- Final score margin is nine points or less (3-0);
- An opponent player logs a double-double (3-0).

Air Superiority:
Perry leads the Falcons in total points (266) and points per game (15.6), while leading the Mountain West in field goal attempts (237, 17th nationally).

In Air Force's 75-71 win at Nevada, 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, marking her third game since Dec. 16 with 26 points or more.

In the Falcons' following home contest against San Diego State on Dec. 3, Perry once again reset her career best, earning 28 in a 71-63 overtime victory over the Aztecs. Perry scored eight in the extra session against the Aztecs, paving the way for the Falcons' win.

27 against Weber State (Dec. 16) was the Falcons' highest scoring individual performance since Kamri Heath earned 27 in Air Force's 2022-23 win over Navy (90-50, Nov. 11, 2022).

With 472 career points under her belt, Perry is currently on pace to become Air Force's 19th all-time career 1000-point scorer.

Scouting the Lady Rebels:
UNLV, sporting a 13-1 record and riding a four-game win streak, returned to the AP top-25 in the week ten polls after ranking as high as 22nd in week six.

The Lady Rebels currently rank fifth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.60), second in free-throw percentage (81.7), 18th in scoring margin (21.4), 15th in scoring offense (83.3) and third in turnovers per game (10.7).

6'1" senior center Desi-Rae Young leads the Lady Rebels in scoring average (19.1 PPG) and rebounding (8.6 RPG). Junior guard Kiara Jackson leads UNLV in assists per game (5.4) and is the second among the Lady Rebels in scoring (12.5 PPG).

UNLV's lone loss to this point came off an 84-54 defeat at Seton Hall on Dec. 16.

Next-Gen Fighters:
The 2023-24 Falcons roster seven freshmen, the largest class at Air Force since the 2016-17 season and the largest in the Mountain West this season. The newest cadre of cadets under Chris Gobrecht have had an immediate impact in 2023-24:

At Nevada (Jan. 10), O'Hollaren earned 18 points behind 6-10 from the field and a 4-6 showing from three., including an eight-point performance in the first quarter of the game, proving critical to the Falcons' 75-71 win over the Wolfpack.

In Air Force's 71-63 overtime win over San Diego State (Jan. 3), freshman Jordyn Devaughn contributed 11 points on 3-4 shooting from three.

Devaughn led the way in Air Force (7-5, 0-0 MW) scoring, earning a career-high 16 points at Clemson on Dec. 19. Fellow newcomer Keelie O'Hollaren followed up with 14 on 5-12 shooting and 4-8 from three-point range. Air Force finished the game with its second-best three-point percentage to this point of the season, shooting .387 while making a season-best 12 baskets from distance. An even .500 (28-56) from the field also marks a season-high in field goal percentage.

O'Hollaren's 15 points against Weber State (Dec. 16) were complimented by a 3-6 performance from three-point range, paving the way for the Falcons' 70-58 victory behind a season-best eight made threes.

Jayda McNabb earned the first double-double of her collegiate career, going for 13 points and 12 rebounds (team season high) in the Falcons' 61-56 win over UCCS (Dec. 5). Tuesday evening marked McNabb's second outing to score in double digits and her third with ten or more rebounds.

In Air Force's 83-61 win over Army (Nov. 17), O'Hollaren broke loose to the tune of 24 points on 9-18 shooting. With the Falcons beginning to gap Army down the final minutes of the third quarter, O'Hollaren ripped off eight points inside of 60 seconds including a pair of three-pointers on consecutive drives, pushing Air Force out to an 18-point advantage that ultimately could not be made up.

At Houston (Nov. 10), McNabb, in her second career start, earned six points, ten rebounds (game-high) and a block in 33 minutes; O'Hollaren logged seven points and four rebounds in 15 minutes.

In the Falcons' home-opening win against Denver on Nov. 6, O'Hollaren logged 16 points on 4-6 from three-point range; McNabb, starting in her intercollegiate debut, totaled nine points on the evening and three blocks – one more than any individual Falcon had in 2022-23; Alexis Cortez, in 19 minutes played, logged five points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal.

All-Time/Division I Record Tracker:
Milahnie Perry:
266 single season points -
386 ties tenth in DI history (Mollie Peters, 1999-00)
448 ties ninth all-time (Melissa Standley, 1987-88, Michelle Johnson, 1979-80)

15.6 PPG - Currently ranks third in DI history.
15.8 ties second in DI history (Riley Snyder, 2021-22)
16.6 ties tenth all-time (Jennifer Patrick, 1993-94, Melissa Standley, 1987-88)

.381 season FG% -
.430 ties tenth in DI history (Dymond James, 2009-10)
.508 ties tienth all-time (Melissa Standley, 1988-89)

All-Time/Division I Freshman Record Tracker:
Keelie O'Hollaren:
33 3PT - Currently ranks ninth in DI history and ties ninth all-time.
34 ties eighth in DI history (Riley Snyder, 2018-19)
34 ties eighth all-time (Riley Snyder, 2018-19)

90 3PTA - ties ninth in DI history and is tenth all-time.
106 ties eighth in DI history (Riley Snyder, 2018-19)
96 ties ninth all-time (Julia Karlstad, 1995-96)

Jayda McNabb:
100 Rebounds -
106 ties tenth in DI history (Morgan Bennett, 1999-00)
154 ties tenth all-time (Emily Conroe, 2017-18)

31 Steals - Currently ranks tenth in freshman DI history.
38 ties ninth in DI history (Emily Conroe, 2017-18)
40 ties tenth all-time (Raimee Beck, 2007-08, Becky Bridson, 1995-96)

13 Blocks - Currently ties for seventh in DI history and eighth all-time.
14 ties sixth in DI history (Cheyenne Wall, 2015-16)
14 ties seventh all-time (Cheyenne Wall, 2015-16)

34 FTM -
49 ties tenth in DI history (Riley Snyder, 2018-19)
62 ties tenth all-time (Rozalyn Russ, 1998-99)

AP Top-25 in Clune:
Air Force hosts two programs featured in the first AP Top- 25 poll of 2023-24; Colorado came to Clune on Dec. 2 ranked No. 7, while Mountain West foe UNLV (Jan. 13) received two votes in the preseason AP poll, ranked as high as 23rd in week six and currently ranks 25th.

In 2022-23, CU closed its season with a 25-9 record, a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament and the No. 15 spot in final AP poll; current reigning MW champion UNLV climbed as high as 22.

Cardiac Cadets:
Six of the Falcons' match ups in 2023-24 have fallen to a two-possession-or-less margin, with the most recent being Air Force's 75-71 win at Nevada on Jan. 10.

On Jan. 3 in the Falcons' Mountain West home opener against San Diego State, Air Force stormed back from behind as much as 12 points in the third quarter to a tied game at the end of regulation. An eight-point overtime performance for Milahnie Perry drove a 10-0 Air Force run in the extra session to win 71-63.

At the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, (Nov. 24-26), games against both Hawaii (W, 54-51) and Idaho State (L, 55-52) were both decided by a single possession at the end of regulation.

Air Force's 65-63 win over Denver at Clune Arena (Nov. 6) in the Falcons' home opener fell to a decisive foul drawn by Madison Smith with just 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation to send her to the free throw line. Smith's pair of successful makes proved game-winning.

14 games in 2022-23 were decided by two possessions or less, with six contests 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. All 31 games in 2022-23 were decided in regulation.

Last Time Out:
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.

Women’s basketball returns to Clune for Saturday afternoon bout with No. 25 UNLV

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Taylor Britt

Alexis Cortez

Kamri Heath

Dasha Macmillan

Jayda McNabb

Keelie O'Hollaren

Milahnie Perry

Madison Smith

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Women’s basketball returns to Clune for Saturday afternoon bout with No. 25 UNLV

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Taylor Britt

Alexis Cortez

Kamri Heath

Dasha Macmillan

Jayda McNabb

Keelie O'Hollaren

Milahnie Perry

Madison Smith

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