Box Score Final Box Score (PDF)

USAFA, Colo. - Junior guard/forward Shannon Dufficy scored half of the Aggies' points in Utah State women's basketball's (7-6, 2-0 MW) 48-44 victory over Air Force (4-9, 0-2 MW) at Clune Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday.

Dufficy had a career-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including 1-of-1 from behind the arc and was 5-of-7 at the free throw line. Dufficy also recorded 13 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season, as well as three blocks and three steals. Junior guard Olivia West also scored in double figures with 10 points.

After Air Force took a 4-0 lead with 8:13 to play, the Aggies responded with a pair of buckets of their own from West and Dufficy to tie it up, 4-4. Utah State closed out the period with a 7-0 run to lead, 11-5, after a West 3-pointer.

The Aggies continued to build their advantage in the second quarter, opening the stanza with another 7-0 run to lead, 18-5, after a West trey. The Falcons responded with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to five, 18-13, with 3:18 on the clock. The teams went back-and-forth as the Aggies held the 26-19 advantage heading into the half.

Dufficy scored all 11 Aggie points in the third quarter, opening with a trey and a couple free throws. After a couple Falcon buckets, Dufficy made a layup and hit a jumper to make it a 12-point game, 35-23, with 6:05 to play. Dufficy would hit one more bucket as USU led, 37-29, at the end of the third period.

The teams continued their back-and-forth until Air Force had a 5-0 run to cut the lead to two, 41-39, with 6:20 remaining in the game. Layups from Dufficy and West extended the lead back out to six, 45-39, with 3:03 left to play. A Falcon and-1 brought Air Force within three, 45-42, with 2:45 to go. The game was then decided on the charity stripe as neither team hit a field goal the rest of the period. A couple of free throws by West put the Aggies up five, 47-42, with 33 seconds left to play. Dufficy then hit one of two free throws with six seconds left as the Aggies took the 48-44 victory. 

Air Force was led by freshman forward Riley Snyder with 16 points and freshman guard Haley Jones with 12 rebounds.

Utah State shot 39.1 percent (18-of-46) from the field, 33.3 percent (3-of-6) from behind the arc and 52.9 percent (9-of-17) at the free throw line. Air Force shot 25.0 percent (15-of-60) from the floor, 12.5 percent (2-of-16) from the 3-point line and 66.7 percent (12-of-18) at the free throw line. 

Utah State next travels to Fresno, Calif., to take on Fresno State (9-4, 2-0 MW) on Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 8 p.m. (MT).

Women's basketball tickets are available now. Fans can purchase season tickets for $25, or on a game-by-game basis. A women's sports pass is also available for $50, giving fans access to all home women's basketball and gymnastics events. Fans can purchase tickets at the Utah State ticket office, located on the first floor of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tickets are also available online at utahstateaggies.com/tickets, or by calling the ticket office at (435) 797-0305or (888)-USTATE-1.

Fans can follow USU women's basketball on Twitter, @USUWBasketball, on Instagram, @USUWBasketball, as well as on Facebook, at /USUWBB. Aggie fans can also follow Utah State Athletics on Twitter, @USUAthletics, on Instagram, @USUAthletics and on Facebook at /USUAthletics.

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