Falcons host Nevada Wednesday in MW action
2/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2017
THE GAME
Air Force hosts Nevada Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. in Clune Arena. The game is the second this season between the schools. Nevada defeated Air Force, 83-76, Jan. 18 in Reno.
Game promotion: Chick-Fil-A will have coupons for all fans in attendance, just show you have downloaded the Chick-Fil-A app to receive a free offer.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Internet:...... ESPN3
Radio:............ KVOR AM 740 (Jim Arthur, Dan Acheson)
THE BREAKDOWN
Quick Facts Air Force Nevada
Overall Record:... 10-15....................................... 19-6
MW Record:......... 3-9............................................ 8-4
Streak:.................. L 4............................................ L 1
Last Game:........... L 66-76 vs. Boise State.......... L 56-70 at San Diego State
Next Game:......... at San Jose State (2/18)........ vs. Utah State (2/18)
Conference:......... Mountain West ..................... Mountain West
Nickname:............ Falcons.................................... Wolf Pack
Location:............... Colorado Springs, CO............ Reno, NV
Website:............... GoAirForceFalcons.com....... NevadaWolfPack.com
THE COACHES
Category Air Force Nevada
Head Coach.......... Dave Pilipovich...................... Eric Musselman
Alma Mater.......... Thiel College, 1986............... San Diego, 1987
School Record...... 70-88 (5th season)................ 43-20 (2nd season)
Career Record..... Same........................................ Same
THE SERIES
Overall.............. Nevada leads, 7-2
First Meeting... Jan. 9, 2013 at USAFA (Air Force, 78-65)
Last Meeting... Jan. 18, 2017 at Nevada (Nevada, 83-76)
Streaks.............. Nevada W 3
THE SERIES
Air Force and Nevada are meeting for the 10th time overall, all as conference foes. Nevada leads the series, 7-2. Air Force is 0-5 on the road and 2-2 at home. Nevada has won three straight. UNR swept the season series last season, beating Air Force, 86-63, at the Academy and 72-52 in Nevada. The Wolf Pack beat Air Force earlier this season, 83-76, in Reno.
Air Force's last win in the series came Feb. 25, 2015, at the Academy, 75-50. The team's first played on Jan. 9, 2013 at the Academy. Air Force won the game, 78-65.
EARLIER THIS SEASON
Jan. 18, 2017 at Nevada
D.J. Fenner scored 30 points and Marcus Marshall added 25 to lead Nevada past Air Force, 83-76, Jan. 18 in a Mountain West men's basketball game in the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nev.
Air Force out-scored Nevada, 26-10, over an 8:30 stretch in the second half to tie the game at 59-all with 8:49 remaining, but was never able to overtake the Wolf Pack. Nevada stretched the lead back to eight points, 76-68, with 1:17 to play. Air Force got as close a four points after that, but Marshall hit five of six free throws in the final 28 seconds to secure the win for the Wolf Pack.
Nevada closed the first half on a 12-0 run over the last 5:06 to take a 42-27 halftime lead. The Falcons went scoreless over the last 6:40 of the half, missing its last six field goal attempts and committing eight turnovers during the stretch. The Wolf Pack had its biggest lead of 16 points, 49-33, with 17:19 to play before the Falcons made their run.
Nevada hit 54.5 percent from the field, including 37.0 from 3-point range. Fenner hit 11-of-18 field goals and had five rebounds while Marshall was 8-17. Cameron Oliver added 10 points and five rebounds while Lindsey Drew had nine points and a game-high eight assists.
Air Force was led by Jacob Van, who scored 17 points. Frank Toohey added 15 points and 11 rebounds to notch his second double-double of the season. Ryan Manning had 15 points off the bench and Hayden Graham chipped in with 10. Trevor Lyons scored eight points and had a season-high seven rebounds and a career-best four steals.
The Falcons hit 43.1 percent from the field, including 32.1 percent from 3-point territory. Air Force hit nine threes, the most since hitting 10 vs. Utah State Dec. 31. The Falcons out-rebounded Nevada, 37-27, and had 18 assists on 25 field goals. The team matched a season high with 10 steals.
Team Notes
- The starters for Air Force were Jacob Van, Trevor Lyons, Zach Kocur, Hayden Graham and Frank Toohey. The lineup started for the third straight game and 11th time this season. The Falcons have started three different lineups this season.
- Air Force hit nine 3-pointers in the game. The Falcons had a streak of nine straight games with seven or more threes snapped at Colorado State. The team went three games without hitting seven entering the Nevada game.
- Air Force had four players score in double figures. The Falcons have had four or more in double figures eight times this season.
- Air Force hit a season-high 89.5 percent from the free throw line. The previous high was 83.3 twice, the last come vs. East Carolina Nov. 26. Air Force has hit 80 percent of better six times this season.
- Air Force out-rebounded Nevada, 37-27. The Falcons are 7-4 this season when out-rebounding an opponent.
Individual Notes
- Junior Jacob Van scored 17 points and hit 8-8 free throws. Van, who leads the Mountain West in free throw percentage, hit 8-8 free throws to increase his season percentage to 87.3 percent (62-71).
- Junior Ryan Manning scored 15 points off the bench to record the highest scoring conference game of his career. His previous high was 10 twice earlier this season. Manning has scored in double figures seven times this season, all as a reserve.
- Junior Frank Toohey scored 15 points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds to record his second-career double-double. Toohey also had a double-double with career highs of 22 points and 13 rebounds earlier this season vs. Stetson Nov. 22.
- Junior CJ Siples recorded a season-high five rebounds.
- Junior Trevor Lyons had eight points, a season-high seven rebounds and a career-high four steals.
AIR FORCE'S LAST GAME
Justinian Jessup and Paris Austin had 14 points apiece on Saturday, and Boise State scored 13 straight points down the stretch to power past Air Force 76-66.
The Broncos (16-7, 9-3 Mountain West) led for most of the game but trailed in parts of the second half and were down by one with 7:18 left.
Chandler Hutchison's pair of free throws with 3:44 left capped a 13-0 run that made it 72-60. The Falcons (10-15, 3-9) answered with four straight points but got no closer from there.
Boise State moved a half-game ahead of Nevada (8-3) and stayed a half-game ahead of Colorado State (9-4) for first place in the conference standings.
Hutchison finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season. David Wacker added 10 points.
Hayden Graham led Air Force with 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Zach Kocur added 14 points and Lavelle Scottie scored 11.
