Women's Basketball Flies Past Falcons, 71-52
2/9/2008 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2008
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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Leilani Mitchell had 19 points and 10 assists and No. 20 Utah won its 15th straight game, beating Air Force 71-52 on Saturday.
The Utes (20-3, 9-0 Mountain West) clinched their fifth 20-win season in six years. Utah also became the first team in conference history to win 100 league games.
Jessica Perry scored 12 points and Morgan Warburton finished with 11 points for the Utes, who haven't lost since Dec. 3.
Utah forced 18 turnovers while committing just seven and was 16-for-27 in the first half. The Utes cooled off in the second half, but still were never threatened by the Falcons (7-14, 1-8).
Brooke Cultra led Air Force with 13 points and Raimee Beck scored 12.
After opening the game 8-for-18, Utah made eight of nine at the end of the first half. Mitchell hit a jumper in the key jus before the buzzer to take a 40-25 halftime lead.
Air Force would never get back in the game.
The Falcons came out aggressive in the second half, but never made much of a dent in Utah's lead. Air Force pulled within 13 on Beck's 3-pointer with about 16 minutes left, but Utah answered with two quick 3s from Kalee Whipple and Warburton.
Both teams went about three minutes in the second half without hitting a shot until Perry and Deanne Stevenson scored back-to-back hoops to bring the lead to 53-32.
Utah's defense continued to confuse Air Force. The Falcons couldn't get the ball inside and were forced to shoot from long range.
Whipple had nine points and 10 rebounds. Warburton finished with 11 points.