Falcons Host Chicago State on Friday

Jan. 5, 2012

GAME #13

Air Force Falcons vs. Chicago State Cougars

Friday, Jan. 6, 2012

7 p.m. at Clune Arena

Game Notes

SITE

Location USAFA, Colo.

Arena Clune Arena

Capacity 5,858

RADIO

Network Air Force / IMG Sports Network

Flagship AM 740 KVOR, Colo. Spgs.

Play-by-Play Jim Arthur

Analyst Matt Pauley

TELEVISION

None

INTERNET

Gametracker goairforcefalcons.com

COACHES

Jeff Reynolds (UNC-Greensboro, 1978)

Air Force 60-76, Fifth Season

Overall 142-110, Ninth Season

Tracy Dildy (UIC, 1991)

Chicago State 6-40, Second Season

Overall Same

ALL-TIME SERIES

Overall First Meeting

Falcons Host Chicago State on Friday

The Air Force Falcons continue their three-game homestand on Friday, Jan. 6 against the Chicago State Cougars at Clune Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast locally on AM 740 KVOR. The Falcons are 8-4 after defeating Johnson & Wales, 83-53, at home on Tuesday, while Chicago State is 0-14 after losing 86-58 decision at Ball State on New Year's Eve.

Air Force Routs Johnson & Wales

Air Force had 14 players score at least one point Tuesday as the Falcons defeated Johnson & Wales, 83-53, at Clune Arena. The Falcons scored the first 17 points of the game and led 34-3 midway through the first half. Todd Fletcher and Mike Fitzgerald led the Falcons with 11 points apiece while Justin Hammonds and Chase Kammerer each scored a career-high 10 points. Hammonds also posted career best totals of six rebounds and three steals.

Air Force Captures Third Place at Cable Car Classic

Air Force defeated Eastern Michigan, 42-37, in the consolation game of the Cable Car Classic last Friday night. Todd Fletcher scored a career-high 18 points and freshman Colt Barnhill posted career-highs of five points and five rebounds. Freshman Kamryn Williams also pulled down a career-best five boards. The Falcons used a 17-5 run to open the second half to build a 35-25 lead with 7:52 remaining and never led by less than three points the rest of the way. Air Force held EMU to just 1-of-14 shooting from three-point range. Fletcher was named to the all-tournament team.

2011 Cable Car Classic Results

Thursday, Dec. 29

Wagner 72, Air Force 61

Santa Clara 75, Eastern Michigan 55

Friday, Dec. 30

Air Force 42, Eastern Michigan 37 (Consolation Game)

Wagner 64, Santa Clara 62 (Championship Game)

Up Next

The Falcons wrap up their three-game homestand on Monday, Jan. 9 against Texas-Pan American at 7 p.m.

Third-Fewest Points Ever in a Victory

Air Force's 42 points against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 30 were the third-fewest in a victory in school history and the fewest since a 39-36 win over Cornell on Dec. 29, 1981. The school record for fewest points in a victory is a 30-19 win over Regis on Dec. 12, 1978.

Falcons Win Inaugural All-Military Classic

Air Force opened its 2011-12 season Nov. 11-12 with a pair of victories at the First Annual All-Military Classic. The Falcons used a second-half rally to defeat service-academy rival Army, 87-71, in the first round, then downed VMI, 75-65, in the championship game.

Junior guard Michael Lyons was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after averaging 22 points and eight rebounds, while fellow junior Todd Fletcher was named to the all-tournament team after dishing out a career-high seven assists in each game.

This was the first of a four-year contract for the All-Miltary Classic, with each school hosting once. Citadel will host in 2012, VMI in `13 and Army in `14. The tournament will be played each year during Veteran's Day weekend.

All-Military Classic Results

Friday, Nov. 11

Air Force 87, Army 71

VMI 103, Citadel 100

Saturday, Nov. 12

Citadel 83, Army 72 (Third Place)

Air Force 75, VMI 65 (Championship)

Most Valuable Player

Michael Lyons, Air Force

All-Tournament Team

Rodney Glasgow, VMI

Ella Ellis, Army

Todd Fletcher, Air Force

Mike Grosselle, Citadel

Keith Gabriel, VMI

Mountain West / Missouri Valley Challenge

The 2011-12 edition of the MWC/MVC Challenge was the third in a four-year agreement between the Mountain West and Missouri Valley Conferences. Eight Challenge games were played this year, with each conference winning four games. Illinois State and Southern Illinois were the two Valley teams that did not participate in the 2011-12 Challenge Series. Below are the 2011-12 MW/MVC Challenge results:

Date Result

Nov. 30 Creighton 85, San Diego State 83

Dec. 3 Drake 62, Air Force 60

Dec. 3 Boise State 74, Indiana State 65

Dec. 3 Northern Iowa 83, Colorado State 77

Dec. 3 New Mexico 76, Missouri State 60

Dec. 3 TCU 70, Evansville 68 (ot)

Dec. 3 Wyoming 66, Bradley 49

Dec. 4 Wichita State 89, UNLV 70

Still a Great Record at Clune

Including their 7-1 record this season, the Falcons have been hard to beat at Clune Arena the last eight seasons. Since the beginning of the 2003-04 season, Air Force has won 102 of its 133 home games, good for a .767 winning percentage. In addition, the Falcons have won 40 of their 64 Mountain West games at Clune during that same stretch (.625 pct).

Falcons Picked 5th in MWC

Air Force was picked fifth in the 2011-12 preseason media poll released at the Mountain West media day in Denver, Colo.

School (First Place Votes) Pts.

1. New Mexico (22) 203

2. UNLV (4) 183

3. San Diego State 158

4. Colorado State 119

5. Air Force 78

6. Wyoming 68

7. TCU 64

8. Boise State 63

Broekhuis Picks Up First Career Double-Double

Junior Taylor Broekhuis played arguably the best game of his career in the championship game of the All-Military Classic on Nov. 12 against VMI. The 6-10 center from Colorado Springs scored 18 points, one shy of his career high, and pulled down a career-best 12 rebounds to post the first double-double of his career. His 12 rebounds were the most by a Falcon in one game since Jacob Burtschi hauled down 12 at Stanford on Nov. 15, 2006.

Broekhuis, who scored a career-high 20 points on Dec. 17 against Maryland-Eastern Shore, is ranked 10th in the Mountain West in rebounding at 4.8 per game.

Most Assists in Over a Decade

Air Force recorded 25 assists in the season-opener against Army, the most in one game by an AFA team since dishing out 25 against Long Beach State on Nov. 21, 2000. The Falcons added 20 assists the next day against VMI.

Individually, junior Todd Fletcher had a career-high seven assists in each of his first two games and is ranked No. 8 in the Mountain West averaging 3.3 per game. Taylor Stewart is ninth at 3.1 per game.

Carter Ties School Record for Steals in First Career Game

Five freshmen saw action for Air Force during the opening weekend, but none had a better start than Chris Carter. The 6-3 guard from Port St. Lucie, Fla., had nine points, seven rebounds and seven steals in his first career game against Army. His seven steals tied the school record for one game and were the most by a Falcon since Tim Anderson, the 2007-08 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, had seven against San Diego State at the Mountain West Tournament on March 13, 2008.

Falcons Playing Solid "D" This Season

Air Force's defense has been very strong lately. After allowing an average of 62.2 points per game their first five games, the Falcons have allowed just 53.8 points per game their last seven. Opponents are shooting just 37.6 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from 3-point range this season and only two opponents (Colorado and Gonzaga) have shot better than 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point land.

Fitzgerald No. 3 on AFA's Career 3-Point Percentage List

Junior Mike Fitzgerald attempted his 150th career 3-pointer Tuesday night against Johnson & Wales, making him eligible for Air Force's career list for three-point percentage. Fitzgerald is shooting 42.7 percent (64-for-150) for his career, placing him No. 3 on the list behind 2007 graduates Matt McCraw (46.5%) and Dan Nwaelele (45.1%).

Players Mentioned

Tim Anderson

Colt Barnhill

Taylor Broekhuis

Mike Fitzgerald

Todd Fletcher

Justin Hammonds

Chase Kammerer

Michael Lyons

Taylor Stewart

Kamryn Williams

Footer