Air Force Earns 58-57 Win At South Dakota To Extend Win Streak To Five

VERMILLION, SD - Air Force men's basketball won at South Dakota (4-3), 58-57, Sunday afternoon at The Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The win lifted Air Force to its fifth consecutive win, improving the team to 6-2 on the season.

Junior Jeffrey Mills hit the game-winning basket with 1:03 left in regulation, drilling a three to break up a 55-55 tie.

Sophomore Rytis Petraitis made his 2023-24 debut and provided a spark off the bench for the Falcons, scoring a game-high 18 points.

The game was close early on, with the teams playing to a 10-10 tie at the second media break. After South Dakota took a 12-10 lead, the Falcons proceeded to go on a 10-0 run to take a 20-12 lead with 7:16. Petraitis scored six points during the run.

South Dakota got the game down to three points late in the first, but a jumper by Ethan Taylor to end the half put the Falcons back up five at 33-28.

The game featured several runs in the second half. The Falcons opened the half with five straight points to go up eight. South Dakota responded with an 8-0 run to tie it up 36-36.

Air Force later used an 11-2 run to jump up nine at 49-40 with 8:22 to play. A 9-2 Coyote run made it a one point game with 5:20 to play.

Air Force, who never trailed after the 11:14 mark in the first half, allowed South Dakota to tie it up on a three by Paul Bruns with 1:23 to play. Mills then followed with the game-clinching three.

The Coyotes got a basket seven seconds left to pull to within one. Air Force missed a free throw, but then forced a steal by Mills with one second left to close out the game.

Petraitis went 6 for 12 from the field in his return, adding six rebounds. Forward Beau Becker added 10 points and eight rebounds. Mills scored nine points, with a career-high five steals.

Air Force had a season-high 13 steals on the day. The Falcons also took care of the ball, with a season-low eight turnovers.

Bruns led South Dakota with 16 points. Forward Lahat Thioune added 15 rebounds.

The Falcons return to action Sunday, Dec. 2 at Portland. The game tips at 1 pm PT.

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