Air Force Earns Series Sweep Of Wyoming With Hard-Fought 75-69 Win

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Air Force men's basketball (14-14, 5-10 MW) pulled out a gutsy 75-69 win at Wyoming (8-18, 3-11) in Mountain West action Friday night at the Arena-Auditorium. The Falcons complete the series sweep over the Cowboys and get back to .500 on the season.

Air Force shot 55 percent from the field and got big performances out of the trio of Jake Heidbreder, Rytis Petraitis and Carter Murphy. The group combined to score 56 points for the Falcons.

Heidbreder scored 22 points on an efficient 8 of 10 shooting from the field. Petraitis notched his fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Murphy gave the Falcons 16 big points off the bench, going 6 of 8 from the field and 2 for 2 from three-point range.

Wyoming got 22 points from Hunter Maldonado, who had to work for his buckets, taking 16 shots and attempting 10 free throws. Jeremiah Oden added 19 points. Air Force held the Cowboys to 42 percent shooting from the field and just 23 percent on 26 attempts from three.

Air Force shot 59 percent from the field in the first half which led to a 37-35 halftime lead. Wyoming jumped out to a 12-4 lead five minutes into the game. The Falcons came right back with an 8-0 run to tie the game.

Air Force took its first lead, 20-18, at the 8:13 mark when Carter Murphy scored his second-straight bucket. The teams battled through nine lead changes in the first half. The Falcons went up by two after forcing a turnover on Hunter Maldonado, his fourth of the game, which led to a breakaway dunk by Rytis Petraitis with five seconds to go in the half.

The Falcons did not let up in the second half, scoring the first five points to go up seven right away. Air Force got up by eight points before Wyoming tried to make a comeback.

The Cowboys would get to within three points as late as 3:42 in the game. But a clutch three by Ethan Taylor put the Falcons back up six and quell the rally. Air Force would go up by as many as 10 points and closed out the game by making its free throws.

Taylor finished with six points and three assists, adding three steals. Beau Becker also chipped in with eight points and six boards.

Air Force returns to action Tuesday, Feb. 21, hosting Fresno State. Tip time is 7 pm MT and the game will be broadcast on Altitude and streamed on the Mountain West Network.

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