Nevada women’s basketball dropped its first road Mountain West game of the season on Saturday, falling to Air Force 61-45 in Colorado Springs. In a matchup defined by hot shooting from the Falcons and offensive struggles for the Wolf Pack, Nevada battled throughout the afternoon but couldn’t overcome an early deficit and a second-quarter surge that shifted the momentum for good. Air Force jumped out quickly and never trailed beyond a brief early stretch.
Photo Cred: Denver Gazette
The Falcons opened with crisp execution and balanced scoring, sparked by senior Milahnie Perry, who helped Air Force take a 13-11 lead after one. Nevada stayed within reach in the opening period, highlighted by key contributions from Britain Backus and Ahrray Young, but the Pack couldn’t quite take control. The second quarter proved to be the turning point. Nevada went scoreless for five and a half minutes, allowing an 11-0 Air Force run fueled by multiple threes that pushed the deficit into double digits.
The Wolf Pack managed just six points in the quarter as Air Force seized command and headed into halftime with a comfortable lead. Offensively, Nevada struggled to find rhythm all afternoon. The Pack shot just 26 percent from the field and 15.8 percent from three, making it difficult to generate momentum or chip away at the lead. In contrast, Air Force knocked down 50 percent of its threes and shot efficiently overall, creating scoring balance and forcing Nevada to play from behind.
Freshman guard Skylar Durley led Nevada with 18 points, adding five rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in an impressive two-way performance. Senior forward Chloe Williams anchored the interior with 10 rebounds and a block, helping the Pack stay competitive on the glass. Despite the challenges, Nevada showed resilience late. The Pack outscored Air Force 21-15 in the fourth quarter, flashing energy and offensive punch, but the early gap proved too large to close. Defensively, Nevada contested shots and forced tough looks at times, but turnovers and missed open opportunities stalled potential comebacks.
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Air Force’s pace and perimeter shooting kept pressure on the Pack, particularly through the middle quarters. The loss drops Nevada to 4-8 overall and 0-2 in Mountain West play, while Air Force improves to 7-5 and 1-1. As the Wolf Pack regroup, they’ll aim to sharpen offensive execution and build momentum heading into the holiday break and the next stretch of conference action.
