Air Force Academy
Wyoming
Falcons Can't Launch Comeback Against Cowboys
1/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 20, 2003
By ROBERT W. BLACK
Associated Press Writer
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Joe Ries scored 11 points and David Rottinghaus added 10 as Wyoming held off Air Force 46-44 on Monday.
Wyoming (14-3, 2-0 Mountain West) took the lead for good less than 5 minutes into the game but never could shake the pesky Falcons.
Tim Keller missed two 3-pointers in the last 10 seconds, either of which could have won it for Air Force (9-7, 0-3).
The Cowboys have won 11 of 12 games and 11 straight at home.
After Joel Gerlach, who had a game-high 21 points, hit an inside basket to draw Air Force within 46-44 with 2 minutes left, Ries missed a layup, but Keller forced a long 3-pointer that was far off the mark as the shot clock ran down.
After Donta Richardson missed a 17-footer for Wyoming, Keller missed again from the arc with 10 seconds left and Uche Nsonwu-Amadi rebounded for the Cowboys and was fouled.
He missed both free throws and A.J. Kuhle rebounded for the Falcons, but Keller, harassed by the Cowboys' David Adams and Richardson, heaved an air ball at the buzzer.
Air Force came into the game ranked second in the nation in 3-pointers with 9.9 per game and was shooting 42 percent from the arc, but the Falcons sank only 5-of-15 from long range (33 percent).
Richardson was averaging 17.3 points but didn't score his first points until he followed his own miss with a layup at the 9:19 mark of the second half, putting Wyoming up 35-28. He finished with four points.
Rottinghaus scored five straight points during a 90-second stretch of the second half, boosting the Cowboys to a 31-23 lead with 13 minutes left, UW's largest margin.
Wyoming led 23-16 at the half.
