Air Force Academy

USAFA, Colo. -- With four players in double figures, the Air Force women's basketball team cruised to an 89-59 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State in its final preseason exhibition Tuesday night in Clune Arena.


The first half was marred by sloppy play by both teams, as Air Force and OPSU combined for 27 turnovers. An early 9-5 lead for the Falcons quickly turned into a 21-5 advantage as Air Force went on a 12-0 run, sparked by five straight Aggie miscues. The Falcons never looked back in the opening stanza, rolling to a 50-20 lead at intermission.

Air Force, which shot an impressive 60 percent from the field in the contest, led by as many as 43 points more than midway through the second stanza, before sending in the reserves to finish the game. Although OPSU played fairly evenly in the second half, knocking down more than 50 percent of its shots, it could never overcome its early deficit.

In addition to outscoring the Aggies 37-17 on points off turnovers, the Falcons dominated in the post, finishing with a 50-16 advantage in the paint. Air Force also won the battle on the boards, 35-27, while recording 22 steals in the contest.

Sophomore Alecia Steele (Oklahoma City, Okla.) led all scorers in the game with 16 points, while Ellen Jaeschke (So., Cary, Ill.) added 12 points and a team-high six rebounds. Junior captain Andrea Taylor (Sugar Grove, Ill.), who hit all six of her free throw attempts, notched 11 points in addition to her five assists and four steals, while sophomore Pamela Findlay (Glenview, Ill.) also contributed 11 points in just 13 minutes of action.

Three players reached double figures for the Aggies, led by Brandi Lewis' team-high 15 points. Nina Kuleff added 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while Diana Garduno also tallied 10 points in the game.

Air Force officially begins the 2005-06 season this Friday, Nov. 18, as it hosts in-state rival Northern Colorado in non-conference action. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Clune Arena.