Women’s Basketball Falls in High Scoring Contest at San Jose State

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Air Force Women's Basketball, intent on correcting its shooting struggles of late, shot 40 percent from the field and finished with its highest scoring output against a Division I opponent this season, but fell, 90-84, to San Jose State on Saturday afternoon at Provident Credit Union Event Center.

Senior Madison Smith and junior Milahnie Perry, one of the most dynamic scoring duos in the Mountain West, both eclipsed the 1,000-point career mark on Saturday, becoming the 19^th and 20^th Falcons to accomplish the feat in program history, and the fourth duo ever to do so in the same season. Smith, closing the afternoon with 25 points (7-15 FG, 3-6 3FG, 8-9 FT, 5 REB), surpassed the 1,000-point threshold in the closing seconds of a 10-point first quarter, while Perry finished with a game and season high 28 points (10-21 FG, 7-11 FT, 2 REB, 4 STL). Perry ripped off a 13-point second quarter and completed the accomplishment for herself in the fourth.

Sophomore Jayda McNabb closed the afternoon with a 13-point, 11-rebound triple double, earning her fourth of the season (2-4 FG, 1-1 3FG, 6-9 FT, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 6 STL).

Air Force imposed its defensive will on San Jose State early on, earning seven steals and forcing the Spartans into 10 turnovers to lead 20-16 after the first quarter. Smith passed the 1,000-point mark in the closing seconds of the opening frame, driving the Spartan basket and successfully converting an and-one opportunity with three seconds to go. Smith, guarding the inbound pass at the baseline, stole San Jose State's pass to Amira Brown and beat the first-quarter buzzer to gain a 20-14 Air Force lead after one.

In the second, Air Force pushed as much as a 12-point advantage, but San Jose State limited their turnovers and kept the Falcons in check defensively, climbing back to a tie and taking a 40-38 lead off of a Sydni Summers jumper in the closing seconds of the half.

In the third, Smith added another 11 points and a 2-2 performance from three while the Falcons shot 40 percent (6-15) from the field and 60 (3-5) from three-point range. Trailing by as much as seven at the 2:37 mark in the quarter, an 8-2 burst to close the quarter was capped by a successful and-one chance for McNabb with two seconds left in the quarter to trail, 62-61 with 10 minutes to go.

A late 11-2 San Jose State run proved the Falcons' undoing, resulting in the Spartans leading 81-71 with 4:14 left in the game. From there, Air Force climbed its way back behind a 9-2 run, bookended by a critical Huntimer three-pointer to lift Air Force back into a three-point game two minutes to go, but an Amiah Simmons three on the opposite end and Rylei Waugh layup with 55 seconds remaining kept San Jose State in front to close out.

SJSU completed Saturday afternoon shooting 63 (36-57) percent from the field and 50 (9-18) percent from three, both season highs for the Spartans, while also facing a season high 26 turnovers. San Jose State, finishing with 90 points, is the most points scored by the program against a Division I opponent since the 2019-20 season. Saturday marked Air Force's first loss scoring 70 or more points since Dec. 29, 2022, snapping a 28-game win streak in which the Falcons scored 70 or more.

Up Next:
Air Force Women's Basketball heads to Las Vegas, taking on UNLV at Cox Pavilion, Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. MT.

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