Antoina don’t wanna go home

Utah State women’s hoops took care of business in its first-round matchup against a last-place Air Force squad, advancing to a Tuesday game against UNLV. The win was a grind-it-out 46-40 slugfest full of missed opportunities and scoring slumps, but killer instinct finally took over in what had to be the pinnacle of a certain senior forward’s Utah State career.

The standout plays of the game all had one thing in common — Antoina Robinson’s outstretched arms sending shockwaves through an innocent basketball every time Air Force tried a seemingly easy bucket.

With a tight game searching for a conclusion and neither team acing their open opportunities, a tied score seemed ready to tilt in the Falcons’ favor as Dee Bennett found the paint wide open. Nearly 30 seconds of lockdown defense appeared spoiled by Bennett gliding boldly toward the basket to earn a one-possession lead, until an angry Robinson decided she wasn’t ready to leave the relatively balmy climate of fabulous Las Vegas and rained down unholy judgement on the unsuspecting junior, erasing what should’ve been an easy layup. The block led directly to a Rachel Brewster transition layup, pushing the Aggies into a lead they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the night.

Thirty seconds later, following a media timeout and a last-ditch effort from Air Force to make something of a hard-fought game, Bennett again tried a quick shot from the paint — and again it was turned away by Robinson’s furious palm. The win received a balanced effort from the usual suspects — Brewster, West and the rest of the 6-seeded bunch made plays when they had to, taking care of the ball throughout the game by allowing just ten turnovers. But a key put-back basket and two stunning blocks in the game’s final minutes means this game ball goes to Robinson.

That poor, poor game ball.

— @Logantj

logantjones@aggiemail.usu.edu