Air Force Falcons Women’s Basketball Off to Best Start in Decades

The Air Force Falcons swept the competition at the Puerto Rico Clasico and are off to their best start since the 1980s.

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 won both of its games at the Puerto Rico Clasico, which wrapped up on Saturday, and in doing so reached a program benchmark as it returns home to Colorado Springs.

Victories over Milwaukee (56-40) and Winthrop (62-47) improved the Falcons to 7-1. With that, Air Force is off to its best start in their history as a Division I program and their best start since the 1987-88 season.

Air Force faced Milwaukee first and used a dominant second half to put away the Panthers. The Falcons led by one point at halftime and then outscored Milwaukee, 29-14, in the final 20 minutes.

Key to the victory was the Falcons’ 81.3% shooting at the free-throw line and forcing 23 Milwaukee turnovers.

Milahnie Perry led Air Force with 18 points and went 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Keelie O'Hollaren scored 13 points and Madison Smith added 12 points. Jayda McNabb failed to score a point but had a team-high 10 rebounds.

JO Huntimer had four assists to reach 293 for her career and pass Brianna Autrey-Thompson (2018-22) for second-most career assists in Air Force Division I history and seventh on the all-time list.

Against Winthrop, the game was tight for the first three quarters and the contest was tied. But the Falcons soared away in the final 10 minutes, outscoring Winthrop, 23-8.

Smith scored 22 points to lead the Falcons, which included a 6-for-6 night from the free-throw line. Perry scored 18 points and made two 3-pointers while O'Hollaren added eight with a pair of threes.

Air Force was perfect from the free-throw line on eight attempts. The Falcons shot 42.9% from the field and 31.6% from the 3-point line. For the second straight game they won the turnover game, forcing 20 and only giving up 15. Air Force outrebounded Winthrop, 33-20.

Air Force has four more games before it begins Mountain West action. The Falcons return home to host Utah Valley on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. mountain, followed by a 1 p.m. mountain showdown with Seattle on Saturday.

Following a 10-day break, the Falcons will go on a two-game swing to Oregon — Dec. 17 at Oregon at 7 p.m. mountain and then Dec. 20 at Portland State at 2 p.m. mountain.

Air Force opens Mountain West action at home on Dec. 29 against New Mexico at 1 p.m. mountain.