Stacy McIntyre’s team will get a second chance at this one.

After a close loss to New Mexico in the Mountain West opener in late December, the Air Force women’s basketball coach lamented what it might mean down the road.

“This is going to be one we look back on later this season and say we should have had it,” McIntyre said.

Later this season has arrived, and the impact of that loss is being felt. Air Force would enter Tuesday’s Mountain West regular-season finale with a chance at a first-round bye in the conference tournament had it won that game – assuming everything else played out as it did.

But what remains at stake might be even more valuable.

If the Falcons win, they will assure themselves of a No. 6 or 7 seed in the conference tournament – they’d be No. 6 with a win and a Fresno State loss at San Diego State. Being sixth or seventh means opening the tournament against either San Jose State or Utah State – clearly the bottom two teams in the league – and then facing Colorado State or Wyoming in the quarterfinals and, perhaps, the other in the semis.

The Falcons have won eight of their past 12 against the Rams, splitting a pair of games this season, and were competitive in two losses to Wyoming.

If they lose, there is a possibility they would fall to the dreaded No. 8 spot, which would mean a difficult first-round game against Nevada (which swept the Falcons this season) and, if they survived, juggernaut UNLV would await in the quarterfinals. UNLV has won the past three Mountain West Tournaments and has won 50 of 52 conference games over the past three years.

Because of UNLV’s strength, the Nos. 6 and 7 seeds might be more advantageous than even the Nos. 4 or 5 seeds simply because of the bracket placement.

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Falling to No. 8 would require the Falcons lose, Boise State win at San Diego State and Wyoming win vs. UNLV (that would make Wyoming the No. 2 seed even if it finished tied for second with Colorado State, and Boise State’s win over Wyoming would give it the tiebreaker over Air Force).

“You take momentum like this into Albuquerque,” McIntyre said Saturday after the Falcons topped Boise State 75-68, giving the team its sixth win in its past nine games. “We know how tough it is to play there.”

Air Force is 1-19 all-time in Albuquerque and has dropped its past six overall in the series with the Lobos.

The Falcons are surging at the end of the season behind the hot hand of senior Madison Smith, who has averaged 24.5 points in her past four games, and Milahnie Perry, who recovered from a scoring lull (by her standards) with 25 points in the victory over the Broncos on Saturday.

“That was a good reminder to her and everyone else what she’s capable of,” McIntyre said. “There’s nobody better when the game’s on the line.”

Air Force's first loss to New Mexico saw the Lobos use a 10-0 first-quarter run to build a lead they held throughout, though the Falcons were within two points with 1:20 remaining. New Mexico then hit a 3 just as the shot clock expired to provide a cushion.

Smith was named Mountain West player of the week on Monday, earning the accolade for the second consecutive week.

A win Tuesday, in a place the Falcons have tasted victory only once, would take away any remaining sting and put Air Force in an ideal spot for the postseason.