Alicia Leipprandt didn’t start for Air Force for most of the Mountain West season. In the two games since she was inserted in the starting lineup, Leipprandt has scored 50 points and coach Andrea Williams has had to explain what took her so long to make the change.

“I finally got a clue?” Williams sheepishly said.

Leipprandt scored 26 points in Air Force’s 66-63 win over Colorado State at the Mountain West Conference Tournament, matching the most points a Falcons player has scored in a game all season.

Leipprandt wasn’t starting because she has been inconsistent and prone to turnovers. Over one six-game stretch of Mountain West games, she hit just 3-of-24 shots. But Williams figured out late in the season that playing Leipprandt at the power forward position is a matchup nightmare for other teams.

Leipprandt drove past Colorado State’s forwards the entire game, getting to the basket and finishing time after time.

“I’m not a very good outside shooter, but I love to attack the basket,” Leipprandt said.

“No. 2 (Leipprandt) took care of us today,” Colorado State coach Kristen Holt said.

The Falcons have found a lot of success running a two-man game with Leipprandt out on the wing against slower forwards, and Dymond James in the post. Against the Rams, Leipprandt was the one who kept knocking down shots.

“It felt pretty good,” Leipprandt said. “To feel unstoppable, kind of.”

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