Feb. 13, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Utah vs. Air Force
Saturday, Feb. 14
Tipoff: 2 p.m. (MST)
Location: USAFA, Colo.
Arena: Clune Arena
Capacity: 5,939
Series: Utah leads, 26-0
Live Stats/Internet Radio: www.goairforcefalcons.com
Radio: 1300 AM (In Colorado Springs)
Radio Talent: Tony Desiere
Falcons Host Utah On Valentine's Day
The Air Force women's basketball team plays host to Utah this Saturday, Feb. 14. Tipoff for the game is at 2 p.m. MST. Live stats and internet radio broadcast will be available for the game.
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 4-19 on the season after falling at New Mexico, 79-33, last Wednesday. Sophomore guard Raimee Beck leads the team offensively, scoring 12.6 points per game to go with 5.7 rebounds per game. Senior Kim Kreke is the top rebounder in the conference, averaging 9.5 boards per game.
Air Force In 2007-08
Air Force went 10-19 in 2007-09. The Falcons were 4-12 in Mountain West Conference play, finishing in seventh place. The four conference wins and seventh place finish were all-time bests in MWC play for Air Force. Senior forward Alecia Steele led Air Force in scoring and rebounding, averaging 12 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Steele was also named team MVP. Steele and senior guard Pamela Findlay earned all-MWC honors.
Scouting Utah
Utah is 16-7 on the season after falling at San Diego State, 55-49, on Wednesday. The Utes are led offensively by senior guard Morgan Warburton, who is averaging 18.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Series History/Notes
- Air Force and Utah have met 26 times with the Utes winning all 26 games.
- The two teams first met in 1998 as conference foes in the Western Athletic Conference. The Utes won both games that year and the first one on Jan. 22, 97-54.
- Air Force's closest game against Utah was a 50-53 loss at the 2001 MWC Championships when the 8th-seeded Falcons nearly upset the top-seeded Utes.
Last Meeting
The Air Force women's basketball team dropped a 68-43 Mountain West Conference contest at Utah Wednesday night at the Huntsman Center.
Utah shot 58.7 percent from the field for the game and had three players reach double digits in scoring. Morgan Warburton led all scorers with 21 points. Katie King scored 14 points and Halie Sawyer added 10 for the Utes.
Liz Dunsworth led Air Force with a career-high 12 points. Dunsworth was 4-of-6 from the field and connected on all four of her free throw shots. Brook Cultra also reached double-figures for the Falcons with 10 points and a team-high six rebounds. Freshman Anna Gault led Air Force with three assist and hit her first-career three-point basket and finished with five points.
Air Force kept it close in the first-half with its best shooting half in conference play. The Falcons shot 44 percent from the field and went into halftime trailing 36-24.
The Falcons struggled to find its shooting touch in the second-half, shooting just 11 percent from the field and never could get back into the game. Utah meanwhile, shot 63.6 percent from the field in the second-half.
Air Force-Utah Connections
Air Force head coach Ardie McInelly and Utah head coach Elaine Elliott are both Boise State graduates. McInelly graduated in 1982 and Elliott in 1977.
AF vs. Utah History
1-22-98 Salt Lake City, UT^ L 54-97
2-21-98 USAFA, CO^ L 39-100
2-5-00 USAFA, CO* L 49-84
3-4-00 Salt Lake City, UT* L 42-92
3-8-00 Las Vegas, NV** L 29-65
2-5-01 USAFA, CO* L 29-59
3-1-01 Salt Lake City, UT* L 33-80
3-7-01 Las Vegas, NV** L 50-53
1-17-02 USAFA, CO* L 39-67
2-16-02 Salt Lake City, UT* L 53-71
2-6-03 Salt Lake City, UT* L 39-68
3-8-03 USAFA, CO* L 42-67
3-12-03 Las Vegas, NV** L 46-83
1-22-04 Salt Lake City, UT* L 42-82
2-21-04 USAFA, CO* L 65-73
1-20-05 USAFA, CO* L 47-97
2-19-05 Salt Lake City, UT* L 45-74
3-9-05 Denver, CO** L 42-63
1-18-06 Salt Lake City, UT* L 45-90
2-18-06 USAFA, CO* L 53-79
3-8-06 Denver, CO** L 47-67
1-20-07 Salt Lake City, UT* L 59-80
2-22-07 USAFA, CO* L 52-60
1-9-08 USAFA, CO* L 50-60
2-9-08 Salt Lake City, UT* L 52-71
1-14-09 Salt Lake City, UT* L 43-68
*MWC game
**MWC Championships
Falcons Amongst Top Free Throw Teams In NCAA
Air Force is shooting 76.5 percent from the free throw line, ranking 10th in the NCAA. Air Force is third in the MWC, trailing Utah and TCU.
Team Pct. NCAA Rank
1. Utah 81.2 3
2. TCU 77.5 7
3. Air Force 76.5 10
Four Starters From Illinois
Four of Air Force's starter are Illinois natives. Senior Brooke Cultra, sophomore Liz Dunsworth, freshman Anna Gault and senior Kim Kreke hail from the Illini State. Including Idaho native Raimee Beck, Air Force has gone with the same starting lineup for 13 consecutive games.
Player - Illinois home town
Cultra - Onarga
Dunsworth - Rock Island
Gault - Aurora
Kreke - Salem
Kreke MWC's Top Rebounder
Kim Kreke leads the Mountain West Conference with 9.3 rebounds per game. The next closest player is UNLV's Jamie Smith with 9.1 rebounds per game. Kreke averaged 4.6 rebounds per game as a junior. She has 10+ rebounds in 11 games this year.
MWC Individual Rebounding
1. Kim Kreke, Air Force 9.5
2. Jamie Smith, UNLV 9.1
3. Shamela Hampton, UNLV 8.9
4. Paris Johnson, SDSU 8.7
Beck A Scoring Machine
Air Force guard Raimee Beck has become one of the Mountain West Conference's top scorers. The sophomore is second on the team and ninth in the MWC, averaging 12.6 points per game. In addition, Beck is second in three-points per game, making 2.30 treys per game and is first in the conference in terms of minutes played, averaging 36.3 minutes per game.
Beck was named MWC Player of the Week on Dec. 8 after averaging 25.3 points and 7.3 rebounds during that week.
Here are some of Beck's highlights so far this year:
- Scored a career-high 30 points against North Carolina Central, becoming the first Falcon to reach 30 points in a game since 2002.
- Was 8-for-8 from three-point range vs. NCCU, tying a school record for three's in a game and shattering the previous school mark of 4-for-4 for perfect three's in a game. The 8-for-8 on three' was also a new MWC record and one shy of tying the NCAA record.
- At one point, made 12-consecutive three-point baskets over the three games, two off the NCAA record of 14.
- Scored 21 points vs. Barry and 25 vs. Miami (Ohio).
- Named to Air Force Classic All-Tournament Team.
Beck Averages 18.8 When Reaching Double-Figures
Although Raimee Beck leads the team with a 12.6 scoring average, that total increases significantly when the sophomore guard reaches double figures in a game. In her 12 games reaching double-figures in scoring, Beck has averaged 18.8 points in those games. Air Force is 4-8 when Beck reaches double-figures in scoring.
Cultra Having Solid Senior Campaign
Senior Brooke Cultra has been one of Air Force's most consistent players this year. The guard/forward ranks second on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg), rebounding (6.4 rpg) , free throw percentage (85.9 %) and blocked shots (11). The senior leads Air Force with 106 career games played and also ranks fourth all-time at the Academy in career rebounding (Div. I era) with 453 boards and is ninth in career scoring (Div. I era) with 743 points.
Kreke Sets Academy Div. I Rebounding Mark; Twice
Kim Kreke had pulled down 19 rebounds in a game twice this season, setting a Air Force Div. I record in the process. Kreke first recorded 19 rebounds against Milwaukee. That total eclipsed the previous mark of 16 set by Mollie Peters vs. Texas-Pan American on Nov. 23, 1997. Kreke grabbed 19 rebounds again vs. UMKC on Dec 22. The 19 rebounds ties for the fourth-most in Air Force history, the seventh-highest mark in Mountain West Conference history and the second-highest total by a senior in MWC history.
Most Rebounds In A Game By Air Force
31 Mary Jo Wier vs. New Mexico Highlands, 2/11/77
26 Mary Manning vs. Northern Colorado, 3/11/82
24 Mary Jo Wier vs. Colorado Mines, 2/1/77
19 Kim Kreke vs. UMKC, 12/22/08
19 Kim Kreke vs. Milwaukee, 11/22/08
19 Mary Manning vs. Northern Colorado, 1/29/85
17 Theresa Blad vs. Abilene Christian, 3/8/85
17 Melissa Standley vs. Mesa State, 11/17/89
16 Mollie Peters vs. Texas Pan-American, 11/23/97
Falcon Trio Amongst MWC Leaders
Air Force seniors Brooke Cultra and Kim Kreke and sophomore Raimee Beck are amongst the MWC leaders in several categories.
Three-Point Baskets Per Game
Beck 2nd/2.30
Blocked Shots
Kreke 2nd/33
Scoring
Beck 9th/12.6
Cultra 10th/12.1
Kreke 23rd/9.4
Rebounding
Kreke 1st/9.5
Cultra 10th/6.4
Beck 15th/5.7
Free Throw Pct.
Cultra 4th/85.9
Steals
Beck 13th/1.26
Minutes Played Per Game
Beck 1st/36.35
Kreke 7th/33.52
Sophomore Class Emerging
Several Air Force sophomores have shown improvement since their freshmen campaigns. Guard Stevie Puentes and center Liz Dunsworth have significantly increased their production from their freshmen year and guard Raimee Beck has improved her scoring and rebounding averages.
Beck 2007-08 2008-09
PPG 9.0 12.6
RPG 3.7 5.7
3 PT% .343 .371
Dunsworth
GP-GS 16-0 23-18
MPG 3.7 22.1
PPG 0.6 3.6
RPG 0.6 4.3
Puentes
GP-GS 6-0 22-1
MPG 4.2 17.3
PPG 1.7 3.0
APG 0.2 1.4
Schjodt A Pleasant Surprise
Kathleen Schjodt, the lone junior on the team, ha2 p.m.s also provided solid minutes this year. After seeing limited minutes as a freshman and even less time as a sophomore due to injury, the junior has started four games and has been Air Force's top reserve. Schjodt is averaging 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, both top numbers for the Falcon reserves.
Schjodt
GP-GS 3-0 23-4
MPG 5.0 21.6
PPG 2.3 5.1
RPG 1.0 2.9
Gault Turning Into Top Distributor
Point guard Anna Gault is quickly picking up the pace of Div. I basketball. Gault had a career-high 10 assists against North Carolina Central and has 5+ assists in seven games. It was the first 10 assist game by a Falcons since 2002. Gault is currently averaging 3.4 assists per game, ranking sixth in the MWC. Her 78 assists already ranks in the single season top ten in the Div. I era at Air Force.
Single Season Assists Div. I Era
1. 119, Latoya Howell 2002-03
2. 111, Lauren Henderson 2004-05
3. 110, Kallie Quinn 1997-98
4. 109, Latoya Howell 2001-02
5. 78, Anna Gault 2008-09
6. 74, Brooke Cultra 2007-08
7. 72, Jennifer Roesch 2003-04
8. 68, Raimee Beck 2007-08
9. 63, Pamela Findlay 2006-07
10. 58, Jennifer Roesch 2004-05
Kreke Becomes Div. I Era Shot Block Leader
Senior Kim Kreke currently has 85 blocks for her career. That total is the most Air Force in the Div. I era. Kreke currently ranks 3rd all-time in shot blocks.
Most Blocks Career
1. 122, Mary Manning 1981-85
2. 88, Chris Clausnitzer 1988-92
3. 85, Kim Kreke* 2005-pr.
4. 79, Leigh Wilbanks 1988-91
5. 70, Carrie Carrow 1993, 95-96
6. 64, Stacy Goss 1983-86
7. 57, Brooke Cultra* 2005-pr.
8. 56, Ellen Jaeschke* 2004-05
9. 52, Pamela Findlay* 2004-08
10. 41, Mollie Peters* 1996-00
*Div. I era
Injury Sidelines Loveless For Remainder Of Season
Senior power forward Dana Loveless will miss the remainder of the 2008-09 season after suffering a sprained ankle and torn left ACL in the season-opener against Northern Colorado. Both injuries happened on the same play just eight minutes into the game.
Falcons Picked To Finish Ninth In MWC
In the preseason conference poll released in October, Air Force was chosen by the coaches and select media to finish ninth in the Mountain West.
1. Utah (16) 206
2. San Diego State (6) 184
3. TCU (2) 161
4. New Mexico (2) 148
5. BYU 117
6. Wyoming 113
7. UNLV 80
8. Colorado State 44
9. Air Force 36
(First Place Votes)
Seven Regular Season Games on TV
A record seven Air Force women's basketball regular season games will be televised. The Falcons will have four games on the Mountain West Sports Network (Mtn.) and games on CBS College Sports (CBS C), Fox Rocky Mountain (Fox RM) and BYU TV. Air Force could also have games televised at the MWC Championships.
Air Force WBB TV Schedule
Nov. 29 Army Mtn.
Dec. 10 at Denver Fox RM
Jan. 3 Navy Mtn.
Jan. 7 at San Diego St. CBS C
Jan. 20 Colorado St. Mtn.
Feb. 4 at BYU BYU TV
Feb. 21 at Colorado St. Mtn.
M 10-14 MWC Tourney Mtn./CBS C/VERSUS
Team Captains
Seniors Brooke Cultra and Kim Kreke have been named team co-captains for the 2008-09 season. Cultra is a three-year letterwinner and returning starter at shooting guard. Kreke is also a three-year letterwinner and returning starter at center.
Up Next
Air Force returns to action Wednesday, Feb. 18, hosting TCU. Tip off for the game is at 7 p.m. MTN.
