WBB | Gaels Fall to Falcons at Clune Arena in First Matchup Since 1999

Saturday, November 7

USAF Academy, CO

12:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

0-2,0-0WCC

Air Force

2-0,0-0Mountain West

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Saint Mary's (CA)	9	12	10	6	37
Air Force	16	17	9	19	61

11/7/2026 5:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Saint Mary's women's basketball team wrapped up its opening week of the 2026-27 season with a 61-37 road defeat to Air Force on Saturday afternoon. The Gaels visited Clune Arena for the first time since 1999 and were a perfect 2-0 against the Falcons entering Saturday's matchup, but could not overcome a first half deficit to suffer their second loss of the season.

Charlece Ohiaeri and Niveya Henley led all starters with seven points each while true freshman Evelyn Tounkara had another productive game with seven points off the bench. A made layup from fellow freshman Lucy Aherne cut the deficit to single-digits with 4:30 left in the third quarter, but Air Force (2-0) was able to score a game-high 19 points in the fourth while holding the Gaels to just 23% shooting from the field over the final ten minutes to secure the 24-point victory and its first in the all-time series history.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Air Force opened the game on a 9-0 run while forcing four turnovers, but Saint Mary's (0-2) was able to answer with a 9-2 scoring run of its own to get right back into the game. Charlece Ohiaeri had five of those nine points with a layup inside and a three-pointer off an inbounds play to help get the Gaels offense going. Both teams had productive second quarters shooting over 50% from the field. The deficit got as close as six points after a Niveya Henley three with 4:07 left in the half, but Air Force kept finding answers on the offensive end to take a 12-point lead into the break.

The Gaels defense showed up in the third quarter, allowing just four made baskets from the Falcons offense while forcing eight turnovers. Despite the defensive swing, Saint Mary's shot just 38% from the field to erase just one point off the deficit heading into the fourth. Air Force then got off for a game-high 19 points and a pair of three-pointers to pull away for the 61-37 victory.

Ohiaeri and Henley led the SMC starters with seven points while Evelyn Tounkara gave the team another great spark off the bench, finishing with seven points and a team high seven boards over her 27 minutes of action. Lucy Aherne also added six points and a career high three steals in her second career start.

GAME NOTES

Niveya Henley scored a season-high seven points
Tounkara had seven points and a career high seven boards to lead the team on Saturday
Ohiaeri scored a season-high seven points in her second consecutive start
Ohiaeri also tied her career-high with three steals; the fourth time she's hit the three-steal mark in her collegiate career
Aherne scored six points and recorded a career-high three steals in her 28 minutes played
True freshman Ave Odegard recorded her first collegiate bucket along with a season high three rebounds
The Gaels outscored the Falcons 15-14 in bench points and 28-24 in paint points

LOOKING AHEAD

Saint Mary's will return to Moraga for its home opener next week, taking on Chico State on Tuesday, November 10 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets and you can catch all the action live on ESPN+.

Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.

#GaelsRise