Air Force Academy

Nov. 26, 2008

Box Score

EDINBURG, Texas - The Air Force women's basketball team dropped a 53-41 game at Texas-Pan American Wednesday night at the UTPA Field House. The loss drops the Falcons to 1-3 on the season and improved the Lady Broncs to 3-1.

Utilizing a stifling trap-defense, UTPA scored the first 15 points of the game and held Air Force to just two shot attempts in the first six minutes of the game. Air Force did not scored till the 9:58 mark in the first period, when Raimee Beck hit a jump shot.

The Falcons made just 4-of-20 shot attempts in the first-half and trailed 35-12 at the half. The Lady Broncs meanwhile canned seven of their nine three-point baskets in the first half.

The Falcons went to a zone defense in the second half, neutralizing UTPA's three-point scoring, and clawed their way back into the game. Air Force also began to figure out the trap-defense and eventually whittled the margin down to within six points, trailing 47-41 after a Brooke Cultra three-pointer with 3:11 left in the game.

The big first-half defecit was too much to overcome however, as the Lady Broncs held on for the win. Teshay Winfrey led UTPA with game-high's of 17 points and 14 rebounds. Maria Erlingsdottir also had 17 points to go with four rebounds.

Cultra led Air Force with 16 points, all coming in the second-half. Kim Kreke added nine points and 13 rebounds. It was Kreke's fourth-consecutive game with 11-or-more rebounds this year. Stevie Puentes also played well for the Falcons, with eight points and a team-leading five assists in 32 minutes off the bench.

Air Force returns to action Saturday, Nov. 29, hosting Army. The game will be televised on the Mountain West Sports Network (Mtn.). Tip off is at 2 p.m MTN.