Women’s basketball takes early lead, holds on for win over Colorado State

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force women's basketball team exacted a measure of revenge on Wednesday evening over Colorado State, defeating the Rams 59-49 in Clune Arena.

After facing down season highs from the Rams in points (81), three-pointers made (10), a .541 shooting percentage (second-highest faced) and a career night for veteran CSU guard McKenna Hofschild in a loss at CSU on Jan. 17, the Falcons erased CSU's three-point advantage on Wednesday night, holding the Rams to 1-11 (.091) from three – a figure which represents season lows for Colorado State in three-pointers made, attempts and percentage.

Additionally, Air Force held their opponent to season-low marks in rebounds (23) and assists (4) – doing so against a CSU roster which averages two inches taller and sports the national assist leader in Hofschild. A 49-point finish for Colorado State marks the lowest scoring contest for CSU this year.

Sophomore Milahnie Perry closed the evening with a team-high 16 points (7-12 FG, 1-2 3FG). Senior Dasha Macmillan followed up with 13 points on 6-10 from the field. Junior Madison Smith, scoring her only two points of the contest late in the final quarter, hauled in 12 rebounds - ten of which took place off the defensive glass – leading Air Force in the category on the way to a season-high 44 boards.

In a slow start offensively for both teams, Air Force came out on top, catching hold of a lead in the closing minutes of the first quarter and retaining it for the remainder of the contest. The Falcons led 13-8 after the first and 21-14 headed into halftime, holding Colorado State to single-digit scoring in both opening quarters. Junior Jo Huntimer, playing in her fourth game of the season after recovering from injury in 2022-23, scored her first basket of the season off a three-pointer, found from Jayda McNabb to spark an 8-2 scoring run to close the first half.

Entering the second half, CSU found its rhythm, shooting 8-16 through the quarter. The Rams closed the gap back to a single possession midway through the third, but a pair of baskets from sophomore Emily Adams and O'Hollaren's third three-pointer of the night quickly got the Falcons back out to an eight-point lead, allowing Air Force to retain its advantage despite a 12-point quarter for Hofschild.

CSU chipped at the Air Force lead throughout the majority of the fourth quarter, leaving the Falcons with just a five-point lead with three minutes to go. Not to be denied, Air Force went 4-4 down the final four minutes of regulation, putting up a 9-2 run punctuated by an and-one layup for Perry to secure the Falcon win with just over a minute remaining.

Up Next:
Air Force women's basketball takes on San Jose State on the road, Saturday, Feb. 3, at 2 p.m.

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