Air Force women’s basketball struggled to overcome a third-quarter surge by San Diego State to fall to the Aztecs 62-51 at Viejas Arena on Wednesday. 

Milahnie Perry led the Falcons with 18 points and four rebounds, but Air Force (7-6, 1-2 Mountain West) experienced shooting woes the entire game, shooting 35% from the field and 18% from the arc while the Aztecs made 42% of their shots.  

The Falcons held San Diego State (9-3, 3-0 MW), second in the Mountain West, below its season average of 69.9 points. 

With a 14-11 lead after the first period, the Aztecs carried their momentum to start the second period with a 9-0 run. Air Force took advantage of a San Diego State scoring drought to get within three (24-21), but a jumper by Nat Martinez gave the Aztecs a 28-22 lead into the break. 

A 13-2 run by San Diego State extended its lead to 17 (49-32) to end the third period with Air Force scoreless for the last 2 minutes and 45 seconds. 

Falcon freshman Bhret Clay went on a 7-0 run to open the fourth period, but the Aztecs responded with their own run to pull away to a 18-point lead (59-41) with just under 4 minutes remaining.

Air Force ended the contest with a 6-0 run, but it wasn’t enough to overcome San Diego State, which outscored Air Force 34-29 in the second half. 

The Falcons host UNLV at Clune Arena at 1 p.m. Saturday.