University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Wednesday, November 28
USAFA
5pm
University of Northern Colorado
3-3
57
at
69
Air Force
4-3
1
2
3
4
F
Northern Colorado
9
12
20
16
57
Air Force
16
8
22
23
69
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
@UNCBearsWBB falls on the road to Air Force
11/28/2018 8:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
UNC women's basketball was unable to overcome turnovers and a poor shooting night at Air Force
USAFA – Closing out a three-game road trip, Northern Colorado fell at Air Force 69-57. UNC was unable to overcome a poor shooting night (35.6 percent) and turnovers (18).
Bridget Hintz led the team with 12 points, while Krystal Leger-Walker chipped in 10. Air Force had four scorers in double figures for the night, led by Briana Autrey's 20 points.
The Bears started the game well going up 6-0, but the offensive woes set in after that. An 11-0 Air Force run gave them the lead and did not give it up. In the first UNC also lost their leading scorer in Savannah Smith as she took an elbow to the face and did not return.
It took the team a little while to adjust to the game without Smith, but they closed the half strong with an 8-2 run to cut the Falcons' lead to three at 24-21.
In the second half, Northern Colorado cut the Air Force lead to three twice and one another time, but Air Force always responded to a UNC run with a run of their own. The Falcons put the game away at the free throw line late.
What they said
Head Coach Jenny Huth
Overall Thoughts
"It really wasn't our night. We were really out of rhythm on the perimeter play. Our posts had a good couple stretches but we struggled to get the ball to them. A little bit of it was air force's pressure and a little bit of it was us being out of sync. We must go back and control what we can control. I wasn't pleased with the twenty-one offensive boards that Air Force had tonight. I thought that stat was something we could control but we did not."
How the team reacted to Savannah Smith's absents
"We have gone through parts of practice where she has been out at times and in games and we have done well in those situations. We have moved on during those times and played well together, but tonight was not that case. It's obviously helpful to have Savannah on the floor so Krystal does not have to play the whole 40 minutes all 94 feet."
What the team needs to do to move forward
"I told the team after the game that we have control the controllable. Those thigs that we can control are attitude, effort, execution and game plan. Those are things we have to lock into moving forward. SMU has been playing some good basketball lately. They are going to mix up their defenses and through things off by that stand point. One thing we have done well all year is defend and rebound and we will have to get back to that and taking care of the basketball. We need to refocus, leave this game in the past, but learn from it."
Key stat
Air Force came into the game averaging 17.0 offensive rebounds a game and hit the glass hard on Wednesday night. The Falcons ended the game with 21 offensive boards that led to 11 second chance points.
Game notes
- Brooklyn Evans saw her first action of the year, playing seven minutes recording a rebound and steal.
- Ali Meyer recorded her fourth straight double digit rebound game by grabbing 11 boards. She added in six points a block and a steal.
- Bridget Hintz led the team in scoring with 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
- Both teams struggled shooting, UNC going 35.6 percent from the floor and Air Force 32.8 percent.
What's ahead
UNC returns home to open the month of December by hosting SMU. The Bears and Mustangs are set for a 2 pm tip-off.
Tickets to the game presented by Bank of Colorado and K99 can be purchased by clicking here. The game is the team's second annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
Bridget Hintz led the team with 12 points, while Krystal Leger-Walker chipped in 10. Air Force had four scorers in double figures for the night, led by Briana Autrey's 20 points.
The Bears started the game well going up 6-0, but the offensive woes set in after that. An 11-0 Air Force run gave them the lead and did not give it up. In the first UNC also lost their leading scorer in Savannah Smith as she took an elbow to the face and did not return.
It took the team a little while to adjust to the game without Smith, but they closed the half strong with an 8-2 run to cut the Falcons' lead to three at 24-21.
In the second half, Northern Colorado cut the Air Force lead to three twice and one another time, but Air Force always responded to a UNC run with a run of their own. The Falcons put the game away at the free throw line late.
What they said
Head Coach Jenny Huth
Overall Thoughts
"It really wasn't our night. We were really out of rhythm on the perimeter play. Our posts had a good couple stretches but we struggled to get the ball to them. A little bit of it was air force's pressure and a little bit of it was us being out of sync. We must go back and control what we can control. I wasn't pleased with the twenty-one offensive boards that Air Force had tonight. I thought that stat was something we could control but we did not."
How the team reacted to Savannah Smith's absents
"We have gone through parts of practice where she has been out at times and in games and we have done well in those situations. We have moved on during those times and played well together, but tonight was not that case. It's obviously helpful to have Savannah on the floor so Krystal does not have to play the whole 40 minutes all 94 feet."
What the team needs to do to move forward
"I told the team after the game that we have control the controllable. Those thigs that we can control are attitude, effort, execution and game plan. Those are things we have to lock into moving forward. SMU has been playing some good basketball lately. They are going to mix up their defenses and through things off by that stand point. One thing we have done well all year is defend and rebound and we will have to get back to that and taking care of the basketball. We need to refocus, leave this game in the past, but learn from it."
Key stat
Air Force came into the game averaging 17.0 offensive rebounds a game and hit the glass hard on Wednesday night. The Falcons ended the game with 21 offensive boards that led to 11 second chance points.
Game notes
- Brooklyn Evans saw her first action of the year, playing seven minutes recording a rebound and steal.
- Ali Meyer recorded her fourth straight double digit rebound game by grabbing 11 boards. She added in six points a block and a steal.
- Bridget Hintz led the team in scoring with 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
- Both teams struggled shooting, UNC going 35.6 percent from the floor and Air Force 32.8 percent.
What's ahead
UNC returns home to open the month of December by hosting SMU. The Bears and Mustangs are set for a 2 pm tip-off.
Tickets to the game presented by Bank of Colorado and K99 can be purchased by clicking here. The game is the team's second annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
Team Stats
NC
AF
FG%
.356
.328
3FG%
.063
.278
FT%
.636
.710
RB
41
46
TO
18
15
STL
10
10
Game Leaders
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/PG
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