Historic Run Leads to First-Ever MW Women's Basketball Championship Berth

LAS VEGAS – Nine-seed Air Force Women's Basketball bested No. 5 Boise State in a wire-to-wire semifinal round of the 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship, securing the Falcons' first-ever postseason championship bid on Monday evening in Las Vegas.

With the win, the No. 9 Falcons are now the lowest-ever seeded program to earn a spot in the Mountain West championship game. Air Force is the first nine-seed to make a semifinal game since 2008 and is now the first to go 3-0 in the MW Tournament to earn a spot in the title match.

Senior All-Mountain West honoree Milahnie Perry finished with a game high 27 points (10-22 FG, 2-6 3FG, 5-8 FT), while tying a game-best six assists. Now sporting 78 points in three postseason games, Perry currently sports the most points of any player in the nation currently playing postseason basketball. Junior Keelie O'Hollaren added 15 points on a 4-8 outing from three-point range. Senior Emily Adams and junior Alexis Cortez each contributed nine points apiece.

Air Force finished the evening with 19 assists on 24 baskets. Boise State, who was ranked fourth in the nation in three-point percentage leading into Monday's game, was held to just 1-3 from beyond the arc, representing season lows for the Broncos in both three-point makes and attempts.

Air Force (16-17, 7-13 MW) led 18-11 at the close of the first quarter. The Falcon defense set the tone from the jump, forcing Boise State into a pair of turnovers to start the game and six total in the first 10 minutes of the game. A pair of spinning makes for Adams and left-corner triples for both Alexis Cortez and Perry lifted Air Force into an early lead. The Falcons built out a nine-point advantage off of O'Hollaren's first three of the day at the right wing. Air Force's lead was cut to six points on a Libby Hutton layup.

At the start of the second quarter the Broncos cut Air Force's lead back to a basket, where the score held before a Dani Bayes three pulled Boise State into its first lead of the game. Boise State slowly amassed a 9-2 run to lead 26-20 while holding Air Force without a basket for a five-minute stretch. At 2:07, Jordyn Devaughn, trapped in the right corner, managed to break free and find Perry for a right-wing three-pointer to pull the Falcons back within two at 28-26. Boise State led 31-29 at the halftime break.

An exciting third quarter saw five lead changes with the Broncos emerging from the deadlock holding a 50-47 advantage. Air Force and Boise State went shot-for-shot to open the second half. Adams' third layup of the game got Air Force scoring off the ground and Perry put up eight points to keep the Falcons in a one-score affair all the way to the end-of-third buzzer.

An eight-point finish for Perry and a 3-3 fourth quarter from three-point range for the Falcons as a whole anchored Air Force in what was a single-possession game for nine of the final 10 minutes. The lead exchanged hands three times at the start of the final quarter, before a trio of makes for Adams and Perry pushed a six-point Air Force advantage with 2:08 remaining in the contest. Boise State pulled back into a two-point game inside the final minute, but the Broncos opted to send Air Force to the free throw line, where the Falcons held on to advance into their first-ever championship bout.

Up Next:
No. 9 Air Force will face off against No. 3 Colorado State in the championship round of the 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championships. Tip off against the Rams is set for 7:30 p.m. MT and will be aired on CBS Sports.

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