Air Force Falcons Swoop Past UC San Diego in Overtime Victory

The Air Force Falcons women’s basketball team needed five extra minutes to outlast the UC San Diego Tritons.

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

Jayda McNabb’s tip-in with 1:55 left in overtime finally put the Air Force women's basketball team in position to defeat UC San Diego, 67-64, on Friday night in a home non-conference showdown.

Before her tip-in, the Falcons (5-1) were lagging behind the Tritons in overtime. Her basket, part of a double-double for the game, helped put Air Force in control, though it still had to outlast UC San Diego at the other end.

The Tritons had two chances to take the lead on the next possession before they turned the ball over. Air Force’s Keeley O’Halloran missed a 3-pointer on the other that would have made it a two-possession game.  

Then, UC San Diego’s Sumayah Sugapong missed a jumper that would have given the Tritons the lead as her shot was blocked by Air Force’s Milhanie Perry.

The Tritons turned the ball over with 23 seconds left and had to foul Perry, who made two free throws with 19 seconds left to give Air Force a three-point lead.

Air Force escaped with the win after Sugapong missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The contest was tight in spite of the fact that Air Force forced an incredible 29 turnovers out of UC San Diego, along with creating 18 steals.

But, that was offset by a sub-standard shooting night for the Falcons, as they fired 33.8% from the floor and 21.4% from the 3-point line. The Falcons were also out rebounded 43-34, and thos were factors that allowed the tritons to stay in the game.

McNabb finished with a career high 17 points while grabbing 10 rebounds as she posted her second double-double this season for the Falcons.

Perry finished with 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Madison Smith added 12 points and four steals, while also grabbing five rebounds. JO Huntimer scored just six points but had a team-high five steals.

UC San Diego's Gracie Gallegos played 43 minutes and finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots to lead the Tritons. Kayanna Spriggs added 15 points, nine rebounds and shot 9-of-11 from the free throw line. Sabrina Ma added 10 points with five rebounds and four steals, the last of which was a team high.

Air Force will be in Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Clasico from Nov. 28-30. The Falcons will open with a game against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Nov. 28, followed by Winthrop on Nov. 30.