Basketball: Air Force downs Northern Colorado, 56-53

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Led by 22 points from Alecia Steele, the U.S. Air Force Academy women's basketball team squeaked by Northern Colorado 56-53 Dec. 5 at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion in Greeley, Colo. 

Steele, a Falcons senior, had a season-high 22 points and nine rebounds in a career-high 40 minutes and took over in the second half by scoring 12 of the Falcons 27 points, including six of their last eight points. 

With 8 seconds remaining in regulation, Northern Colorado set up a final play to tie the game, but Kate Kevorken could not make her 3-point attempt.  

Kim Kreke had a career-high 10 points and Jamie Davis added 11 points for the Falcons. Raimee Beck also had a career-high six assists. 

In the first half, the Falcons overcame early turnover problems to take a 2-point lead, 29-27, into halftime. Trailing by nine points with 5:30 remaining in the first half, the Air Force made a 14-3 run over the remainder of the half. Kreke's left-handed fadeaway runner with 26 seconds left in the half, gave the Falcons their first lead. 

Air Force led by as many as eight in the second-half, but UNC stormed back and retook a two-point lead with 10 minutes left in the game. Trailing by one, Steele scored a basket with 5:50 remaining to put the Falcons up 50-49. The Falcons led for the rest of the game. 

The Air Force record now stands at 4-4, as Northern Colorado fell to 4-4. The Falcons next play Dec. 8 at Wisconsin. 

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