LAS VEGAS – SDSU’s women’s basketball team fell to the Air Force Falcons in the quarterfinal of the Mountain West Women’s Basketball Championship tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center. Less than a week ago, these two teams faced off for their final game of the regular season and the Aztecs took home the victory.
While SDSU had a bye after clinching the regular season conference title, Air Force beat Wyoming on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Guard Nala Williams scored the game’s first four points, but the Falcons quickly answered with buckets of their own. Both teams went back and forth for the first two quarters, but the Aztecs went on a 7-point run to give themselves a 32-26 advantage at halftime.
Air Force came out of the break strong. The Falcons were able to get to the free throw line and shoot from three in the third quarter. Guard Naomi Panganiban dropped nine of her 29 points in the third quarter to keep the Aztecs in the game.
“I thought [Naomi] kind of put us on our back and made some big-time shots,” said Head Coach Stacie Terry-Hutson. “She's a competitor, and when the lights are on, she's always ready to compete.”
The Falcons continued to dominate offensively throughout the fourth quarter. They scored 28 points in the game’s final quarter, almost putting a win out of reach for the Aztecs. However, three 3-pointers by Panganiban in the final 36 seconds made it a one-possession game.
“I feel like we didn't think the game was over until it was over. Until it says 0:00 we're going to put our heart into the game, so that's what you guys witnessed out there.”
The Aztecs quickly fouled, but Falcons guard Keelie O’Hollaren made all her free throws to seal the game for Air Force.
While the loss was a disappointing way to close out the season, it also proved to be a learning opportunity for many of the young Aztecs.
“There's so much to learn especially from a game like this and just taking this as kind of a chip on our shoulder,” said Forward Bailey Barnhard.
Although a bid to the NCAA tournament in unlikely, the Aztecs may secure a bid to the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament, held March 30-April 1 in Wichita, Kan.
