Oregon Ducks End Air Force Falcons’ Impressive Start to Season

The Air Force Falcons women’s basketball team received a dose of reality from one of college basketball’s top programs.

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

If the Air Force Falcons’ women’s basketball team was looking for a test they sure got one against the Oregon Ducks on Tuesday night at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore.

The Falcons’ impressive start of the season came to an abrupt stop as the Ducks won, 98-36.

Air Force saw its six-game winning streak snapped. That was the program’s longest winning streak as a Division I team since 1993-94.

The Ducks had lost three of their last four games, which included their first Big Ten game against USC last week.

It was a rough game from the start for the Falcons (9-2). Air Force managed just 18 points in the first half and fell behind, 44-18 after the Ducks (8-3) put together an impressive shooting start.

Oregon’s shooting only got better in the second half, as the Ducks finished shooting 58.9% from the floor to Air Force’s 23.2%. Neither team shot well from the 3-point line and Air Force was perfect from the free-throw line.

But Oregon also had a huge advantage on the glass, as it outrebounded Air Force, 48-27, and the Falcons turned the ball over 29 times to the Ducks’ 14 times. Oregon also finished with 17 steals.

Jayda McNabb was the only Air Force player to finish in double figures with 16 points. She also had a team-leading seven rebounds.

Phillipina Kyei led the Ducks with 14 points. Deja Kelly led Oregon with eight rebounds, along with eight points. Nani Falatea and Sarah Rambus each scored 11 points, while Katie Fiso added 10 points.

Entering the game, Air Force was in the midst of a start it hadn’t experienced in decades. The Falcons’ 9-1 start was their best after nine games since the 1982-83 team, which started the season 12-1.

Air Force entered the game with an undefeated start at home (6-0), its first undefeated home start after six games since the 1985-86 season. The Falcons started that season with seven straight home wins.

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

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