Women’s Basketball Defeats Wyoming to Advance in MW Tournament

LAS VEGAS – In what might prove to be its most complete game of the season, Air Force Women's Basketball picked up a first quarter lead over Wyoming and never looked back, scoring a 60-53 win over the Cowgirls on Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas.

Senior All-Mountain West selection Milahnie Perry led Falcon scorers, finishing the afternoon with 18 points (9-19 FG, 6 REB, 5 AST). Emily Adams followed up with 14 points (6-17 FG, 2-3 FT, 9 REB). All-Freshman Falcon honoree contributed 10 points to the Falcon tally.

Falcon seniors got Air Force off the ground early, scoring the first six points. Wyoming built an early lead, but Clay sunk her first basket of the game from just beyond the elbow to pull Air Force back to an 8-all tie. Air Force took off, closing out the first quarter on 12-3 Falcon run to swing the score in favor of Air Force. Perry's eight first-quarter points paced all scorers after 10 minutes of play, leading the Falcons to a 16-11 advantage at the close of the opening frame.

Air Force and Wyoming exchanged blows in the second quarter, with the Falcons scraping out a 13-12 scoring advantage. The Cowgirls pulled back within a basket twice, but the Falcons answered each challenge to stay in front. A triple from Clay and Perry's sixth basket of the day pulled Air force back into a 27-21 lead at the under-five timeout. Wyoming's Logann Alvar and junior Falcon Keelie O'Hollaren both exchanged scores down the first-half stretch, leaving the Falcons with a 29-23 advantage at the halftime buzzer. Air Force ended the half shooting .406 (13-32) from the field.

Air Force's hot shooting extended into the second half, with the Falcons starting 8-17 (.471) in the third quarter. Both seniors Adams and Perry again led the way, adding six points apiece to the Falcons' score in the third quarter. The Falcons' lead inflated to 11 (47-36) behind an Air Force defensive effort which forced Wyoming into nine third-quarter turnovers converted into 10 points for the Falcons.

Air Force saw its advantage quickly erode in the early minutes of the final quarter, as Wyoming rallied behind an 8-2 run. A Malene Pedersen (29 PTS) three-pointer pulled Wyoming back within a basket (52-49) with 3:01 left on the clock, but Clay's second triple of the game and a driving score for junior Alexis Cortez (6 PTS) rebuilt an eight-point Air Force advantage with 45 seconds left in the game.

Air Force (14-17, 7-13 MW) led Wyoming in field goals made (25) and attempted (63) points off of turnovers (14), bench points (18), points in the paint (30), fast-break points (3) and steals (nine).

Up Next:
Air Force takes on top-seeded San Diego State in the quarterfinal round at 1 p.m. MT on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas.

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