Air Force finished off by top-seeded Utah

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 13, 2003 | by TIM MIMICK

LAS VEGAS - Shawna Neff managed to mix a smile with a cringe despite all the hurt Wednesday afternoon. She saluted big, bad Utah's celebrated defense, which made her the focal point.

"They (Utes) were intent on not letting me get 23 points again," Neff said.

For the longest time, Utah was intent on not letting Air Force reach 23.

After trailing midway through the first half, Utah went on a 19-0 streak en route an 83-46 victory over Air Force in the first round of the EAS Mountain West Conference Tournament before a crowd of about 500 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Air Force (7-21) didn't reach 23 points until less than 15 minutes remained.

Neff finished with eight points on 4-of-12 shooting, mostly due to the withering defense by Utah's Lana Sitterud. Last Saturday in Clune Arena, Neff struck for 23 points in a loss to the Utes.

Top-seeded Utah (23-5), the runaway league regular-season champion, extended its mastery over Air Force to 13-0 alltime.

The Utes had to work for it during the first half. They trailed 18- 15 after spunky Air Force sophomore guard Gwen Grove swished a 3- pointer at 10:53. That also marked the end of the Falcons' surge. They didn't score again for the next 8 minutes, 32 seconds. Grove scored on a fast-break layup on a pass from Jennifer Roesch to end the Utah spree. "We increased our defensive intensity," Utah coach Elaine Elliott said. "We pressed out better. That was what we were supposed to do from the start, but we didn't."

Air Force started by nearly matching the Utes basket for basket, then tearing off a 9-2 spurt for its only lead. Grove had seven of her team-high 13 points in the early outburst.

When Utah flexed its NCAA Division I-leading defense (49.5 points per game), the game reverted to its expected form. Freshman 6-foot-1 forward Kim Smith, the Mountain West player of the year, started the run with two free throws and fueled it into a rampage with a 3- pointer. She finished with a game-high 19 points, while 6-foot junior Mandie Little had a career-high 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Eight Air Force turnovers during its scoreless stretch also led to the outcome, which meant the Falcons' 11 th consecutive defeat.

"Utah is extremely talented and coach Elliott is among the best in the country," Air Force coach Ardie McInelly said. "Utah can shoot, play great defense, rebound, pass the ball. Hopefully, one day we can do the same thing."

- PHOTOS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS - BEATEN TO THE CHASE: Utah's Lana Sitterud recovers the ball after knocking it away from Air Force's Jennifer Roesch on Wednesday in Las Vegas.