Air Force Academy

Nov. 4, 2010

This Week...

The new-look Air Force women’s basketball team gives fans a preview of the season to come this weekend, Nov. 5, as it hosts Metro State in an exhibition contest. The game is slated to begin at 5:00 p.m. in Clune Arena.

Game Information

Live Stats: GoAirForceFalcons.com

Live Video: None

Radio: None

Last Meeting: Metro State won an exhibition at the Academy, 65-60, in 2006.

        Air Force: Andrea Williams (0-0/First; 12-35/Third Season)

        Metro State: Tanya Haave (0-0/First; 36-86/Fifth Season)

Promotions:

        • Free admission; fans who arrive prior to halftime will receive tickets for free admission to hockey game between Air Force and Mercyhurst (7:05 p.m.)

        • Kid’s Night - Post-game activities include autographs and photos with the team, the opportunity to shoot baskets down on the court with Falcon players and a preview of the team from Coach Andrea Williams.

Scouting the Falcons...

Air Force returns two starters and 10 letterwinners from last year’s team which finished the season with a 3-27 overall record. Meanwhile, the Falcons also welcome 13 newcomers to the roster.

The Falcons’ top returner this season is senior captain Raimee Beck, who led the team in both scoring and rebounding in 2009-10.

        Leading Returners

        Scoring            Raimee Beck              406/13.5

        Rebounds        Raimee Beck              191/6.4

        Assists             Raimee Beck              71

        FG%                Dymond James           .430 (46-107)

        3PFG%            Kelsey Berger             .420 (29-69)

        FT%                 Raimee Beck              .827 (62-75)

Scouting the Roadrunners...

Metro State returns four of its top five scorers from last year’s team which compiled an 17-12 overall record and 11-8 mark in the RMAC. Among the top returners for the Roadrunners this season are sophomores Brandi and Kristin Valencia. Brandi is Metro State’s top returning scorer with 8.8 points per game last season, while Kristin was named the 2010 RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Exhibitions...

Last season, Air Force posted an 84-44 victory over UCCS in its lone exhibition game of the year. The Falcons are 7-2 in their last nine exhibition games, with both losses coming against Metro State (2004 and 2006).

New On the Sidelines...

Both benches in Friday’s exhibition will feature new faces, as Air Force head coach Andrea Williams and Metro State head coach Tanya Haave are both in their first seasons with their respective teams. Williams comes to the Academy from the University of South Florida, while Haave joins the Roadrunners after serving as an assistant at the University of Denver.

Falcons Picked Eighth...

In the preseason conference poll released Oct. 13, Air Force was chosen by the coaches and select media to finish ninth in the Mountain West. Defending conference champion TCU  was chosen to finish atop the conference standings,  earning 16 of 21 first-place votes, while San Diego State, the 2010 MWC Tournament champion and NCAA Sweet Sixteen participant, was selected to finish second, earning three first-place votes. Reigning MWC Player of the Year Helena Sverrisdottir of TCU was tabbed the Preseason Player of the Year, while San Diego State’s Courtney Clements and Melissa Sweat were named Preseason Newcomer and Freshman of the Year, respectively.

Season Outlook...

Change. That’s the theme heading into the 2010-11 season for the Air Force women’s basketball team, which welcomes a new coaching staff, a new style of play and a new crop of players to the program. This year, Andrea Williams takes over the reins as the Falcons’ head coach. Previously an assistant at USF, where she helped lead the Bulls to a WNIT Championship in 2009, Williams has assembled a coaching staff with a range of talents and experiences.

The first order of business for Williams and her staff has been to install a new style of play, which should pave the way for future success. The Falcons will focus more on an up-tempo offense, while playing more man-to-man defense in an effort to capitalize on the team’s athleticism.

In addition, a quick glance at the Falcons’ roster will show the change in personnel that the program has seen, with just two upperclassmen, including team captain Raimee Beck, the lone senior. Meanwhile, 13 freshmen join the squad, as the team, which also features eight sophomores, has a distinctively youthful look.

Next Up...

The Falcons officially open the season next week, Nov. 12, when they host Lipscomb at 1:00 p.m.

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