Air Force falls 77-64 to San Diego State for 12th loss in last 13 games
Air Force fought in the opening minutes of Tuesday’s home game against San Diego State, but the fight didn’t last long.
The Aztecs won handily, giving the Falcons their 12th loss in the last 13 games. The drubbing comes three days after Air Force lost 94-56 to Boise State.
“I think it’s just us not responding to their pressure,” junior forward Jeffrey Mills said. “We won the first four minutes tonight, and they went on their run. It’s something we have to look at in the mirror and figure out.”
The Falcons came out firing, making two 3-pointers and leading 8-6 at the first media timeout. They also held Jaedon LeDee, the Mountain West’s leading scorer to a couple of early missed opportunities.
But after that, the Falcons went cold and the Aztecs heated up. San Diego State ended the first half on a 39-12 run and led 45-20 at halftime.
“People think crunch time is the last two minutes of the game,” Air Force coach Joe Scott said. “Really, crunch time is all during the game. The pressure is being applied in a lot of different ways. You have to learn how to play like the pressure’s always on.”
The Aztecs (17-5, 7-3 Mountain West) shot 70% from the field and 75% from three in the half. Air Force committed 11 turnovers and shot 32% in the first 20 minutes.
The Falcons knew LeDee would be a problem, and he was. The fifth-year forward, who stands 6-foot-9, finished with 14 points and was fouled 11 times.
But the Aztecs’ versatility with his size and their strong shooting first half allowed them to run away.
“They don’t miss those shots,” Scott said. “If they have any semblance of being open, they make them. Until we make them feel that, they’re not going to help us.”
Air Force opened the second half on a 10-4 run, but it wasn’t enough to make the game competitive. Sophomore forward Rytis Petraitis fouled out with eight minutes left in the game and SDSU coasted.
The closest the Falcons got in the second half was the final margin of 13, thanks to a 3-pointer from Kolby Gilles as time expired. Air Force ended the contest on a 14-2 run.
Four different Aztecs scored in double figures, as Reese Waters led the way with 15 points. For Air Force, Beau Becker and Jeffrey Mills each had 15.
The Falcons (8-14, 1-9) are tied with San Jose State for last place in the Mountain West.
Next for Air Force is a home game against Fresno State at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Falcons lost 84-70 to the Bulldogs in their first meeting.
“It’s good for us to be home and know who we’re playing,” Scott said. “It’s going to come down to our ability to be able to withstand, maintain, sustain throughout the game.”
Air Force guard Ethan Taylor, left, passes the ball away from San Diego State forward Jaedon LeDee during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, at the Air Force Academy.
Air Force guard Jeffrey Mills, right, drives past San Diego State forward Jay Pal during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, at Air Force Academy, Colo.