Air Force Academy

Nov. 7, 2012

Game Notes

The Air Force women's basketball team officially begins the 2012-13 season this Friday, Nov. 9, as it heads to Greeley, Colo., for a non-conference match-up versus Northern Colorado. The contest is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion.

GAME INFORMATION
Live Stats/Audio: uncbears.com
Radio: None
Series History: Air Force leads, 21-17

LAST TIME OUT...
The Falcons put together a strong second-half effort, as they won their lone exhibition contest of the year on Monday, defeating Chadron State, 83-57.

Three players scored in double-figures for Air Force, led by senior Alicia Leipprandt with 18 points, while senior co-captains Dymond James and Katie Hilbig added 17 and 14 points, respectively. Freshman Missy Byrd led Air Force with seven rebounds, while junior Cherae Medina dished out a team-best six assists.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS...
Air Force returns 11 letterwinners, including five players who started at least 10 games, from last year's team which finished the season with a 6-24 overall record. Meanwhile, the Falcons also welcome 10 newcomers to the roster.

The Falcons' top returners this season are seniors Alicia Leipprandt and Dymond James, who led the team in scoring and rebounding, respectively, in 2011-12. Other returning starters for Air Force include senior co-captain Katie Hilbig, who started 14 of 18 contests played, and juniors Camille Thompson and Cherae Medina, with 20 and 12 starts, respectively.

SCOUTING THE BEARS...
Northern Colorado returns four starters from last year's team which posted a 20-12 overall record and advanced to the first round of the WNIT Tournament. The Bears' leading returner is junior guard D'Shara Strange, who averaged 13.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest.

The Bears are also coming off an exhibition victory, defeating Regis, 73-44, on last Friday. Victoria Timm and Stephanie Lee were the leading scorers for Northern Colorado, each registering a game-high 14 points.

RECORD WATCH...
Air Force senior Alicia Leipprandt is already in the Falcons' Division I record books in several career categories and is on the verge of entering another top 10 list. Leipprandt--who currently ranks fifth in career scoring average, sixth in field goals made, seventh in field goal attempts, field goal percentage and free throw attempts, eighth in free throws made and ninth in free throw percentage--needs just three more steals to enter the Falcons' top 10 list for career steals in the Division I era. In addition, Leipprandt--who enters the 2012-13 season with 851 career points--needs just three more points to move into eighth place on Air Force's Division I career scoring list.

Meanwhile, classmate Dymond James is also ranked in the top 10 in several of the Falcons' Division I career categories, including scoring average (fourth), field goal percentage (fourth), free throws attempted (fifth), free throws made (seventh), rebounds (eighth) and field goals made (tied for ninth). With 771 career points entering this season, James needs just 11 more points to become one of the Falcons' top 10 scorers at the Division I level.

NEXT UP...
The Falcons have a quick turnaround before their next game, as they travel to Farmville, Va., on Monday, Nov. 12, to face Longwood in a non-conference match-up.