Falcons Travel to Fresno to Take on Bulldogs
1/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2014
GAME #14
Air Force Falcons vs. Fresno State Bulldogs
Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014
7:05 p.m. (PT) at Fresno Calif.
ROOT Sports
| Live Video (Available only outside ROOT Sports viewing area)
SITE
Location | Fresno, Calif.
Arena | Save Mart Center
Capacity | 15,596
RADIO
Network | Air Force / IMG Radio Network
Station | AM 740 KVOR, Colo. Spgs.
Play-by-Play | Jim Arthur
Analyst | Matt Pauley
TELEVISION
Network | ROOT Sports
(DirecTV - 683; Dish - 414; Comcast - 35 or 702)
Play-by-Play | Barry Tompkins
Analyst | Dave Bollwinkel
LIVE STATS
Gametracker | goairforcefalcons.com
COACHES
Dave Pilipovich (Thiel College, 1986)
Air Force | 28-25, Third Season
Overall | Same
Rodney Terry (St. Edwards, 1990)
Fresno State | 31-47, Third Season
Overall | Same
ALL-TIME SERIES
Overall | Fresno State leads 10-5
At Fresno | Fresno State leads 6-2
First Game | Nov. 28, 1980
Result | Fresno State won 55-40
Last Game | Mar. 2, 2013
Result | Fresno State won 56-41
Current Streak | Fresno State - 1
Falcons Travel to Fresno to Take on Bulldogs
The Air Force men's basketball team travels to Fresno, Calif., to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Tip-off at the Save Mart Center is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. (PT). Air Force is 8-5 overall and 2-0 in the Mountain West after defeating UNLV 75-68 in Las Vegas last Saturday, while Fresno State is 7-8 and 0-2 after falling on the road at Boise State 86-79 on Saturday. The Falcons are tied for first place in the Mountain West with Nevada at 2-0.
Falcons Win at UNLV For Just Second Time Ever
Air Force's 75-68 victory at UNLV on Saturday was just the second win in 22 tries in Las Vegas. The only previous win over the Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center came on Jan. 25, 2006 (52-50).
Falcons 2-0 in League Play For Sixth Time in History
The Falcons have a 2-0 conference record for just the sixth time since starting league play in 1981. Air Force was 2-0 in the Western Athletic Conference in 1987 and in the Mountain West from 2004-07.
All-Time Series vs. Fresno State
Fresno State holds a 10-5 advantage, including a 6-2 mark in Fresno, against Air Force. The teams split a pair of games last year, with each winning on its home floor. Air Force won at Clune Arena, 62-50, on Jan. 30, while the Bulldogs captured a 56-41 victory at the Save Mart Center on March 2, 2013.
Home Sweet Home - In League Play
With its 73-72 victory over Utah State last Wednesday, Air Force has now won eight of its last nine Mountain West games at Clune Arena. The Falcons went 7-1 at home in league play last season, the only loss coming to Colorado Stae (89-86). The last four MW games at Clune have been decided by a total of 11 points and the last two by one point apiece (AFA beat New Mexico 89-88 in last season's finale).
Largest Jump in RPI in the Nation
Air Force posted the largest jump of any team in the country in the RPI this past week, moving up 102 spots after defeating Utah State and UNLV. The Falcons are No. 222 in the latest RPI on Monday, Jan. 6.
Up Next
The Falcons return home to play No. 13/15 San Diego State on Sunday, Jan. 12. Tip-off at Clune Arena is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Falcons Win Fourth Straight Conference Opener
The Falcons are now 10-24 all-time in conference openers after their 73-72 victory over Utah State last Wednesday. They were 2-17 in conference openers in their 19 years in the Western Athletic Conference, with the two victories coming against San Diego State (86-75) in 1986-87 and Colorado State (69-58) in 1992-93. Air Force is 8-7 in conference openers since the Mountain West began play in 1999. The Falcons have won four straight league openers.
Air Force's Mountain West Openers:
Date Opponent Result
1/15/00 UNLV (H) L, 98-73
1/8/01 UNLV (A) L, 65-54
1/7/02 UNLV (H) L, 66-54
1/11/03 San Diego St. (H) L, 63-48
1/12/04 Colo. State (A) W, 65-57
1/8/05 Colo. State (H) W, 58-53
1/5/06 BYU (H) W, 75-59
1/3/07 Colo. State (A) W, 81-75
1/5/08 Utah (A) L, 58-36
1/3/09 San Diego St. (H) L, 44-61
1/6/10 TCU (A) L, 50-59
1/6/11 Utah (H) W, 77-69
1/14/12 Boise State (A) W, 74-59
1/9/13 Nevada (H) W, 78-65
1/1/14 Utah State (H) W, 73-72
Third Straight Year Opened with a Newcomer
For the third consecutive season, Air Force opened Mountain West play against a league newcomer. Two years ago, the Falcons defeated Boise State 74-59 in Boise and last year Air Force defeated Nevada 78-65 at Clune Arena.
Coggins Scores Most Points by a Sophomore Since `57
Tre' Coggins' career-high 35 points on Nov. 14 against Jackson State were the fourth-most in one game by an Air Force sophomore in school history. The top three marks were set by Bob Beckel during the program's first season in 1956-57. Beckel had games of 48, 47 and 46 that season.
Coggins' 35 points tied for No. 18 on Air Force's single-game scoring list, equalling point-totals by Otis Jones vs. Doane on Dec. 3, 1994 and Raymond Dudley vs. San Diego State on Feb. 4, 1989.
Falcons Split Pair of Games at All-Military Classic
The Air Force men's basketball team opened its 2013-14 season with a 1-1 record at the the third annual All-Military Classic last weekend at VMI in Lexington, Va. The Falcons rallied for a 79-68 victory over Army in the first round, then suffered their first-ever loss in the tournament to VMI, 71-63, in the championship game.
Air Force sophomore Tre' Coggins was named to the all-
tournament team after scoring 34 points in the two games, including a career-high 20 vs. Army. Junior co-captain Kamryn Williams posted the third double-double of his career with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Army, while fellow junior Marek Olesinski notched career highs of 23 points and nine rebounds against VMI.
This is the third of the four-year deal for the tournament, with each school hosting once. Air Force hosted the first tournament in 2011 and The Citadel hosted last season. Army will host next year. The tournament is played each year during Veteran's Day weekend.
All-Military Classic Results
Friday, Nov. 8
Air Force 79, Army 68
VMI 82, Citadel 71
Saturday, Nov. 9
Army 84, The Citadel 69 (Third-Place Game)
VMI 71, Air Force 63 (Championship Game)
Williams Posts Career-high 11 Boards vs. Utah State
Junior Kamryn Williams pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds last Wednesday against Utah State, the most boards in one game by a Falcon since Taylor Broekhuis had 12 against VMI on Nov. 12, 2011. Williams followed that performance with nine rebounds on Saturday against UNLV and his 20 rebounds in a two-game span are the most by a Falcon since Tom Bellairs collected 25 vs. UT-Pan American (12) and Wyoming (13) on Jan. 24 and 27, 2001.
Yon Nets Career-High 24 vs. South Dakota
Junior Max Yon scored a career-high 24 points against South Dakota on Dec. 5. He was 8-of-18 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free-throw line against the Coyotes. It was Yon's second 20-point effort this season as he notched 22, all in the second half, against Jackson State on Nov. 14. He made a career-best six 3-pointers against JSU.
Most Points in a Half Since `99
Air Force's 62 points in the second half against South Dakota on Dec. 5 were the most in a half by a Falcon team since scoring 65 in the second half vs. Denver on Feb. 16, 1999.
Tale of Two Halves
Despite leading at halftime in its last five games, Air Force has scored 136 more points in the second half than the first half this season. The Falcons, who have trailed at halftime in seven of their 13 games this season, have scored 411 points in the first half and 547 in the second half so far this year.
Darrius Parker Makes First Career Start Count
Freshman Darrius Parker made his first career start on Nov. 20 against Colorado Christian and scored a career-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. He also pulled down five rebounds and dished out two assists against the Cougars
70 Points Seems to be the Key
Air Force is 6-2 this season when it scored 70 points or more and 2-3 when scoring less than 70. Defensively speaking, the Falcons are 6-0 when allowing 70 points or less and 2-5 when allowing more than 70. The two victories when giving up more than 70 were against South Dakota (94-86) and Utah State (73-72).
5 in Double Figures for First Time in Three Years
Five Falcons scored in double figures against South Dakota on Dec. 5, the first time that has happened since Nov. 20, 2010 against Tennessee State. It also happened the next game against Western State on Dec. 9, marking the first time AFA had five players in double figures in consecutive games since the first two games of the `98-99 season.
Hammonds Posts First Double-Double vs. Western State
Junior forward Justin Hammonds posted the first double-double of his career on Dec. 9 with 14 points and a career-high 10 rebounds vs. Western State. Hammonds, who made his season debut on Nov. 14 against Jackson State after leaving the team over the summer to concentrate on academics, also tied his career high with four assists against the Mountaineers. Hammonds returned to the team on Nov. 12 and played 19 minutes vs. Jackson State. He then started the following game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 17.
Lots of Free Shots vs. South Dakota
The Falcons went 31-of-39 from the free-throw line on Dec. 5 against South Dakota, the most makes and attempts by an Air Force team since going 41-of-56 from the line against Navy on Nov. 28, 1998.
Several Career Highs vs. Western State
Freshmen Zach Kocur (15) and Hayden Graham (13) and junior Ethan Michael (5) each posted a career high for points on Dec. 9 against Western State. Additionally, juniors Justin Hammonds (10), Max Yon (9), Kocur (4), sophomore Zach Moer (3) and junior Scott Adler (2) had career-high rebound totals.
Big Personnel Losses
Air Force entered the 2013-14 campaign without its top seven scorers (five players graduated, one left the program and junior DeLovell Earls was injured) and its top five rebounders (including Earls) from last season. Only 22.4 percent of the team's scoring and 40 percent of the rebounding returned this season. Air Force's starting lineup in the season opener vs. Army started zero games and averaged 12.7 points per game last season. In fact, the current Air Force roster entered this season with just 39 career starts (DeLovell Earls 22, Kamryn Williams 14, Justin Hammonds 3).
Capt. Nick Welch Joins Staff as Assistant Coach
Capt. Nick Welch joins the Falcon coaching staff in 2013-14. Previously, Welch spent four years at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana as an aircraft maintenance officer and two at Los Angeles Air Force Base as an acquisition program manager since his graduation from the Academy.
Welch, who earned his bachelor's degree in economics in 2007, enjoyed a stellar basketball career with the Falcons. A four-year letterwinner, he is No. 14 on AFA's career scoring list with 1,109 points and 10th on the school's assist list with 255.
Falcons Picked 10th in Media Poll
Air Force was picked 10th in the 2013-14 Mountain West preseason media poll:
School (First Place Votes) Pts.
1. New Mexico (23) 263
2. UNLV (1) 214
Boise State 214
4. San Diego State 212
5. Utah State 156
6. Colorado State 142
7. Wyoming 112
8. Fresno State 96
9. Nevada 84
10. Air Force 61
11. San José State 30
