Box Score

COLORADO SPRINGS – The North Dakota State women's basketball team (3-5) fell to the Air Force Falcons (1-5), 82-63, Friday, Dec. 6, inside Clune Arena at the United States Air Force Academy on day one of the Air Force Classic.

The Bison took an early 2-0 lead 14 seconds into the game after a pair of free throws from Marena Whittle. The Falcons responded, tying the game at two after a layup from Lindsey Lewis with 19:32 remaining in the first half. Air Force then took its first lead of the game, 5-2, on a three-pointer from Jimi Blagowsky less than a minute later.

NDSU would not regain the lead the remainder of the half, going into halftime trailing the Falcons, 46-35. Air Force built as much as a 12 point lead in the opening half.

Holly Johnson and Bree Whatman led the Bison in scoring in the first stanza, tallying seven points each. Blagowsky paced the Falcons and led all scorers in the half with 17 points. She was 6-for-10 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

NDSU was 14-of-37 (38 percent) from the field and just 5-for-15 (33 percent) from three. The Bison were also only 2-of-6 (33 percent) from the free throw line. Air Force shot a blistering 63 percent from the field, going 19-for-30, and was 4-for-5 (80 percent) from three in the opening half. The Falcons made 50 percent of their free throws, going 4-for-8.

The Bison were out-rebounded by Air Force in the half, 20-19.

The Falcons continued the hot shooting to start the second half, jumping out to as much as an 18 point lead. The Bison started to chip away at the Falcon advantage at the 14:20 mark, when Kahla Becken hit back-to-back threes, cutting the deficit to 61-49.

NDSU cut the Air Force advantage to 11 after Becken made one-of-two free throws with 13:37 in the second stanza, but the Falcons answered, regaining a 15 point lead at the 11:34 mark. The Falcons controlled the rest of the second half to go on and claim the 82-63 victory.

The Bison were paced in scoring in the game by Becken with 14 points and Brooke LeMar with 12 points. Air Force was led by Blagowsky with a game-high 26 points.

The Bison were 23-for-66 (35 percent) from the field but just 7-for-27 (26 percent) from beyond the arc. NDSU was 10-of-16 (63 percent) from the charity stripe. Air Force shot 49 percent for the game, going 31-for-63. The Falcons were 7-for-15 (47 percent) from three and 13-of-21 (62 percent) at the free throw line.

Air Force out-rebounded NDSU, 45-39.

With the loss, NDSU falls to 3-5 while Air Force picks up its first victory of the season to improve to 1-5.

The Bison will return to action Saturday, Dec. 7, when they face Wyoming on the final day of the Air Force Classic. Tip-off from Clune Arena at the United States Air Force Academy is set for 3 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. MT. Airtime on KVOX 740-AM "The Fan" is slated for 2:40 p.m. CT / 1:40 p.m. MT.