Friday, March 21
6:30 PM MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Utah Valley
Photo by: U.S. Air Force photo / Trevor Co
WNIT First Round: Women’s Basketball Prepares to Host Utah Valley
3/20/2025 3:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Air Force Women's Basketball gets into the swing of postseason basketball, as the Falcons get ready to host Utah Valley for the opening round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament, set for Friday evening, 6:30 p.m. at Clune Arena.
Follow Along:
Friday's game with the Wolverines will stream live on the Mountain West Network with Brian Jerman and Jean Parker in the booth; 740 KVOR will carry the radio broadcast from inside Clune with Jim Arthur at the microphone; Live scoring/statistics will be available via StatBroadcast; links to each can be found via the women's basketball schedule page on goairforcefalcons.com.
installation Access Requirements For Friday Night:
The U.S. Air Force Academy processes to access the installation continue to affect athletic events. While the installation remains open, if you do not have a DoD ID card you will need to obtain a pass to enter the base. Ticket holders wishing to attend can request a base pass by using the links below for each game. Once you register, you will receive a message with a QR code on your phone to present at the gate when entering the Academy. Fans will present game tickets when entering each venue. All ticketed/credentialed attendees will need to enter through the North Gate only to get to the Cadet Field House.
Intercollegiate Athletic Events, March 21, Click HERE.
What's at Stake:
Washington State awaits the winner of Friday's contest, who will take on the Cougars in Pullman on Monday night, 7 p.m. MT in the second round.
Falcons at a Glance:
Madison Smith and Milahnie Perry both lead Falcon scoring, averaging 15.7 and 15.2 points per game on the season, finishing fifth and seventh respectively against the Mountain West. 30.9 combined points per game makes the duo the highest scoring pair in the Mountain West this season.
Air Force sports two top 10 three-point shooters in the Mountain West this season (Keelie O'Hollaren - eighth - 1.97/game; Smith - ninth - 1.90/ game).
Sophomore Jayda McNabb, while also averaging 8.2 points per game, also leads Air Force in rebounding, averaging 6.8 (3.5 OFF/G, 3.3 DEF/G). McNabb's 7.0 rebound rate ranks tenth in the Mountain West across all games and second on the offensive glass.
Senior point guard Jo Huntimer's 4.6 assists per game and 3.07 assist/turnover ratio (6th in the nation) both rank second in Mountain West play this season.
Defensively, Air Force tops the Mountain West in turnovers forced per game (19.41), turnover margin (+5.88, 21st nationally) and steals per game (10.4, 33rd nationally). Madison Smith, sporting 78 steals on the season and averaging 2.5 per contest, leads the Mountain West in both categories. Three of Air Force's starting five (Smith, Huntimer, McNabb) rank top eight in steals against the Mountain West with no other program in the league sporting more than one inside the top 10.
Maddie Loves March:
Following the Falcons' Senior Day win over Boise State on March 1, Head Coach Stacy McIntyre said Madison Smith is playing as if she is "on a mission" to close out her Falcon career.
Smith, a 2024-25 All-MW and All-Defensive honoree, through the final five regular season games. shot .506 (45-89) from the field and an even .500 (18-36) from three-point range, earning her back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Week honors along the way.
In addition to being a force on the offensive side, Smith led the Mountain West in steals for the duration of 2024-25; Six takeaways on her Senior Day against Boise State (March 1) tied the most by a player in league play this season.
A Historic Start...
Air Force opened Mountain West play in 2024-25 at 10-2, marking its first ever 10-win non-conference in Air Force's Division I history and the first such occurrence since the 1991-92 season. Starting 9-1 on the year with just an overtime loss at Army (Nov. 15), Air Force got off to its best ten-game start since Maj. Danny Fowler's 1982-83 Falcons went 12-1. The Falcons opened 6-0 in Clune Arena for the first time since 1985-86, when Air Force started at home with seven-straight wins.
... And Historic Finish
18 wins on the season in 2024-25 marks the most by a head coach in their inaugural year at Air Force, a title previously held by Capt. Chuck Holt (1979-80) and Capt. Danny Fowler (1981-82).
A Cool Grand:
Combining for 53 points at San Jose State (Jan. 11), Smith and Perry both eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for their respective careers, becoming the 19th and 20th players to do so in Air Force history, and the fourth-such duo to collectively claim the honor in the same season.
Service Before Self:
Jo Huntimer leads Air Force in total assists (147), sporting the most in a single season in Air Force's Division I history.
Huntimer finished the regular season leading the Mountain West in assists while also sporting the second-best assist/turnover ratio against league opponents this season (3.07). 418 career assists currently ranks second in Air Force DI history and sixth all-time (451, Briana Autrey-Thompson, 2018-22) - a spot in the record books secured in the Falcons' win over Milwaukee on Nov. 28 in Puerto Rico. Handing out 11 assists on a Senior Day win against Boise State in Clune, Huntimer tied the most by all MW competitors in a single game this season.
Ride the Hot Hand:
Through an 11 game stretch to close out the regular season, sophomore guard Keelie O'Hollaren averaged .454 from the field (49-108) and .423 from three-point range (30-71).
Winning Trends:
Air Force has ...
- In winning games held 16 of 18 opponents to less than 70 points;
- Scored more points off of turnovers than opponents in all 18 wins this season.
Air Force is Undefeated In Clune When...
- Scoring 70 or more points (7-0);
- Out-shooting opponents from the field (6-0).
An Even Dozen:
Air Force has 12 steals or more in 15 games in 2024-25. The Falcons' streak of six-straight contests with 12 or more takeaways to open 2024-25 was the longest active streak in Division I at the time.
The Series Against the Wolverines:
Air Force is 3-4 all-time against Utah Valley, having earned wins in two of the last three contests.
Last Time Versus Utah Valley:
On Dec. 4, the Air Force women's basketball team improved to 8-1, downing Utah Valley, 76-58, on Wednesday night in Clune Arena.
Junior Milahnie Perry led all scoring on the floor with 22 points (9-16 FG, 3-5 3FG, 4 REB); Sophomore Keelie O'Hollaren added 13 points on 3-6 showing from three-point range; Senior Madison Smith added 11 points; Sophomore Jayda McNabb put up nine points and was plus- 28 on the floor in 24 minutes of play time; Freshman Emma Lytle, in a nine-minute stretch early in the contest, earned a career high six points off of back-to-back three-pointers; Senior guard Jo Huntimer earned a team season high seven assists and five steals to earn a plus-13 efficiency for the night.
As a team, Air Force shot 42 percent from three and 52 percent from the field.
From the jump, the Falcons set the tone against UVU, opening on a 10-0 run in the first three minutes of the game – A lead which Air Force maintained for the majority of the game. Smith opened 3-3 from the field with a Huntimer three-pointer to compliment forced Utah Valley timeout just three minutes in. Lytle pitched her six points to push Air Force out to as much as a 14-point advantage in the opening quarter. On the final possession of the first quarter, a disrupted pass for Wolverine Halle Nelson turned into a Smith steal and fast-break and-one for sophomore Jordyn Devaughn, putting the Falcons up 19-8 at the end of the first.
Air Force continued to capitalize on Utah Valley turnovers in the second quarter, as the off-rhythm Wolverines committed four in as many minutes, turning into Perry's first pair of makes and an 8-2 Falcon run between her and McNabb. UVU found its footing midway through the quarter, getting a 6-0 run in the paint to once again get back within single digits, but the shots stopped falling again for Utah Valley and the Falcons continued to roll. Junior Emily Adams and Perry combined for a 6-0 run of their own, including a Perry jumper as time expired to cap a 10-point showing for the Falcons' leading scorer and give Air Force a 35-19 lead heading into halftime.
The Falcons' lead ballooned to as much as 21 points in the third quarter, but Utah Valley managed to cut Air Force's deficit all the way down to eight points, outscoring the Falcons 26-18 for the quarter and 19-6 in the final four minutes of the quarter after scoring eight in the final minute; But five points for Perry ignited a 12-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter to put Air Force back up by 18, essentially putting the game out of reach.
Follow Along:
Friday's game with the Wolverines will stream live on the Mountain West Network with Brian Jerman and Jean Parker in the booth; 740 KVOR will carry the radio broadcast from inside Clune with Jim Arthur at the microphone; Live scoring/statistics will be available via StatBroadcast; links to each can be found via the women's basketball schedule page on goairforcefalcons.com.
installation Access Requirements For Friday Night:
The U.S. Air Force Academy processes to access the installation continue to affect athletic events. While the installation remains open, if you do not have a DoD ID card you will need to obtain a pass to enter the base. Ticket holders wishing to attend can request a base pass by using the links below for each game. Once you register, you will receive a message with a QR code on your phone to present at the gate when entering the Academy. Fans will present game tickets when entering each venue. All ticketed/credentialed attendees will need to enter through the North Gate only to get to the Cadet Field House.
Intercollegiate Athletic Events, March 21, Click HERE.
What's at Stake:
Washington State awaits the winner of Friday's contest, who will take on the Cougars in Pullman on Monday night, 7 p.m. MT in the second round.
Falcons at a Glance:
Madison Smith and Milahnie Perry both lead Falcon scoring, averaging 15.7 and 15.2 points per game on the season, finishing fifth and seventh respectively against the Mountain West. 30.9 combined points per game makes the duo the highest scoring pair in the Mountain West this season.
Air Force sports two top 10 three-point shooters in the Mountain West this season (Keelie O'Hollaren - eighth - 1.97/game; Smith - ninth - 1.90/ game).
Sophomore Jayda McNabb, while also averaging 8.2 points per game, also leads Air Force in rebounding, averaging 6.8 (3.5 OFF/G, 3.3 DEF/G). McNabb's 7.0 rebound rate ranks tenth in the Mountain West across all games and second on the offensive glass.
Senior point guard Jo Huntimer's 4.6 assists per game and 3.07 assist/turnover ratio (6th in the nation) both rank second in Mountain West play this season.
Defensively, Air Force tops the Mountain West in turnovers forced per game (19.41), turnover margin (+5.88, 21st nationally) and steals per game (10.4, 33rd nationally). Madison Smith, sporting 78 steals on the season and averaging 2.5 per contest, leads the Mountain West in both categories. Three of Air Force's starting five (Smith, Huntimer, McNabb) rank top eight in steals against the Mountain West with no other program in the league sporting more than one inside the top 10.
Maddie Loves March:
Following the Falcons' Senior Day win over Boise State on March 1, Head Coach Stacy McIntyre said Madison Smith is playing as if she is "on a mission" to close out her Falcon career.
Smith, a 2024-25 All-MW and All-Defensive honoree, through the final five regular season games. shot .506 (45-89) from the field and an even .500 (18-36) from three-point range, earning her back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Week honors along the way.
In addition to being a force on the offensive side, Smith led the Mountain West in steals for the duration of 2024-25; Six takeaways on her Senior Day against Boise State (March 1) tied the most by a player in league play this season.
A Historic Start...
Air Force opened Mountain West play in 2024-25 at 10-2, marking its first ever 10-win non-conference in Air Force's Division I history and the first such occurrence since the 1991-92 season. Starting 9-1 on the year with just an overtime loss at Army (Nov. 15), Air Force got off to its best ten-game start since Maj. Danny Fowler's 1982-83 Falcons went 12-1. The Falcons opened 6-0 in Clune Arena for the first time since 1985-86, when Air Force started at home with seven-straight wins.
... And Historic Finish
18 wins on the season in 2024-25 marks the most by a head coach in their inaugural year at Air Force, a title previously held by Capt. Chuck Holt (1979-80) and Capt. Danny Fowler (1981-82).
A Cool Grand:
Combining for 53 points at San Jose State (Jan. 11), Smith and Perry both eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for their respective careers, becoming the 19th and 20th players to do so in Air Force history, and the fourth-such duo to collectively claim the honor in the same season.
Service Before Self:
Jo Huntimer leads Air Force in total assists (147), sporting the most in a single season in Air Force's Division I history.
Huntimer finished the regular season leading the Mountain West in assists while also sporting the second-best assist/turnover ratio against league opponents this season (3.07). 418 career assists currently ranks second in Air Force DI history and sixth all-time (451, Briana Autrey-Thompson, 2018-22) - a spot in the record books secured in the Falcons' win over Milwaukee on Nov. 28 in Puerto Rico. Handing out 11 assists on a Senior Day win against Boise State in Clune, Huntimer tied the most by all MW competitors in a single game this season.
Ride the Hot Hand:
Through an 11 game stretch to close out the regular season, sophomore guard Keelie O'Hollaren averaged .454 from the field (49-108) and .423 from three-point range (30-71).
Winning Trends:
Air Force has ...
- In winning games held 16 of 18 opponents to less than 70 points;
- Scored more points off of turnovers than opponents in all 18 wins this season.
Air Force is Undefeated In Clune When...
- Scoring 70 or more points (7-0);
- Out-shooting opponents from the field (6-0).
An Even Dozen:
Air Force has 12 steals or more in 15 games in 2024-25. The Falcons' streak of six-straight contests with 12 or more takeaways to open 2024-25 was the longest active streak in Division I at the time.
The Series Against the Wolverines:
Air Force is 3-4 all-time against Utah Valley, having earned wins in two of the last three contests.
Last Time Versus Utah Valley:
On Dec. 4, the Air Force women's basketball team improved to 8-1, downing Utah Valley, 76-58, on Wednesday night in Clune Arena.
Junior Milahnie Perry led all scoring on the floor with 22 points (9-16 FG, 3-5 3FG, 4 REB); Sophomore Keelie O'Hollaren added 13 points on 3-6 showing from three-point range; Senior Madison Smith added 11 points; Sophomore Jayda McNabb put up nine points and was plus- 28 on the floor in 24 minutes of play time; Freshman Emma Lytle, in a nine-minute stretch early in the contest, earned a career high six points off of back-to-back three-pointers; Senior guard Jo Huntimer earned a team season high seven assists and five steals to earn a plus-13 efficiency for the night.
As a team, Air Force shot 42 percent from three and 52 percent from the field.
From the jump, the Falcons set the tone against UVU, opening on a 10-0 run in the first three minutes of the game – A lead which Air Force maintained for the majority of the game. Smith opened 3-3 from the field with a Huntimer three-pointer to compliment forced Utah Valley timeout just three minutes in. Lytle pitched her six points to push Air Force out to as much as a 14-point advantage in the opening quarter. On the final possession of the first quarter, a disrupted pass for Wolverine Halle Nelson turned into a Smith steal and fast-break and-one for sophomore Jordyn Devaughn, putting the Falcons up 19-8 at the end of the first.
Air Force continued to capitalize on Utah Valley turnovers in the second quarter, as the off-rhythm Wolverines committed four in as many minutes, turning into Perry's first pair of makes and an 8-2 Falcon run between her and McNabb. UVU found its footing midway through the quarter, getting a 6-0 run in the paint to once again get back within single digits, but the shots stopped falling again for Utah Valley and the Falcons continued to roll. Junior Emily Adams and Perry combined for a 6-0 run of their own, including a Perry jumper as time expired to cap a 10-point showing for the Falcons' leading scorer and give Air Force a 35-19 lead heading into halftime.
The Falcons' lead ballooned to as much as 21 points in the third quarter, but Utah Valley managed to cut Air Force's deficit all the way down to eight points, outscoring the Falcons 26-18 for the quarter and 19-6 in the final four minutes of the quarter after scoring eight in the final minute; But five points for Perry ignited a 12-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter to put Air Force back up by 18, essentially putting the game out of reach.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballAir Force Women's Basketball 24 25 Season Highlights
Friday, April 11
Women's Basketball 24-25 Highights
Friday, April 11
Warfighter Letricia Baxley
Monday, April 07
Stacy McIntyre and Player WNIT UVU
Friday, March 21
