Air Force Falcons Puts Incredible Start on Line Against Oregon Ducks

The Air Force Falcons women’s basketball team faces its biggest test yet in the wake of a nearly unprecedented start to the season.

Nov 20, 2013; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; A general view of the Air Force Falcons logo at Clune Arena before the start of the game against the Colorado Christian Cougars. / Isaiah Downing-Imagn Images

The Air Force Falcons women’s basketball team is doing things it hasn’t done for decades, and they’ll put all of that on the line when they face Oregon on Tuesday night in Eugene, Ore.

Tip-off at Matthew Knight Arena is at 7 p.m. mountain.

The Falcons (9-1) are in the midst of an incredible start to the season. Air Force is off to its best start after nine games since its 1982-83 team, which started the season 12-1. While this is a road game for Air Force, it is off to a 6-0 home start for the first time since 1985-86. The Falcons started that season with seven straight home wins.

Air Force carries a six-game winning streak into the game. That is the program’s longest winning streak as a Division I team since 1993-94.

Oregon (7-3) has lost three of its last four games and that includes its first Big Ten game against USC last week. Already, Air Force has put together a formula for its nine victories.

When the Falcons win, they hold opponents to less than 70 points, force more turnovers than the opponent and lead the game with five minutes to go.

Air Force’s only loss was to Army in an overtime contest on the road on Nov. 15. That game ended with the Black Knights winning, 57-51.

With Mountain West play approaching, the Falcons are fine-tuning things before their opener. Milhanie Perry and Madison Smith have paced Air Force all season and are averaging 17.2 and 15.6 points, respective. The pair rank fifth and sixth in the Mountain West, and their 32.8 combined points per game for currently stands as the highest scoring duo in the league.

Jayda McNabb has been a key piece of the streak, as well. She is averaging 8.0 points and 8.5 rebounds entering Tuesday’s game, the latter of which is fourth in the Mountain West Conference. Her 4.7 offensive rebounds per game is No. 10 in Division I and second in the MWC.

McNabb has two double-doubles this season and has 10 or more rebounds in six of Air Force’s games, including four of the last five.

Plus, guard Senior point guard Jo Huntimer's 4.20 assists per game and 3.23 assist/turnover ratio are both second in the MWC, with the latter ranking 17th in the nation.

After facing Oregon, the Falcons head about two hours north to face Portland State on Dec. 20. Then, they open Mountain West action at home on Dec. 29 against New Mexico at 1 p.m. mountain.