Air Force Unable To Hold Off Portland State In 62-55 Setback

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Air Force men's basketball opened the 2023-24 season with a 62-55 setback to Portland State Monday night at Clune Arena. Juniors Chase Beasley and Beau Becker led the Falcons with 14 points each.

In a back-and-forth game, Portland State used a big run late in the game to pull away to the win. With the game knotted up a 49-49 with 6:35 to play, the Vikings went on an 8-0 run to take control of the game.

Air Force trailed by four at the half but came back to take to take the lead in the second half. Beau Becker's basket at the 13:51 mark put the Falcons ahead 40-38. Air Force extended its lead to five on a three by Ethan Taylor.

Portland State came back and took the lead back at the 8:39 mark. The Falcons tied the game up with 6:35 to play before the Vikings pulled away late.

Air Force saw significant contributions from several players seeing their first significant minutes.

Beasley, who entered the game having played 22 career minutes his first two years, was an efficient 5 of 7 shooting from the field, adding four assists. He logged a game-high 37 minutes.

Sophomore Kellan Boylan, who played just six minutes as a freshman, also made an impact for Air Force. In his first-career start, Boylan scored seven points and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds, six coming on the offensive end, in 36 minutes.

Becker was 6 of 12 from the field, adding seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Becker also made two three's.

Joining Beasley and Becker in double figures was junior guard Ethan Taylor, who scored 11 points. Taylor led the Falcons with three three's, five assists and two steals.

Freshman Kolby Gilles made his debut, scoring three points and grabbing two rebounds in seven minutes off the bench.

Air Force shot 40 percent from the field. The Falcons shot just 24 percent from three-point range and struggled at the free throw line, making just 9 of 19.

Air Force held Portland State to 36 percent shooting from the field and 26 percent from three point range. Guard Jorell Satterfield led the Vikings with 10 points. Isaiah Johnson led the team with 13 rebounds.

Air Force returns to action Friday, Nov. 10, at LIU. The game is slated for a 1 pm ET tip.

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