Second Half Surge Leads Air Force Past Stony Brook,69-61, At Legends Showcase

FRISCO, Texas - Air Force men's basketball won a 69-61 contest over Stony Brook (2-7) Saturday afternoon at the Legends Showcase at Comerica Center, home of the NBA G League's Texas Legends. Sophomore center Wesley Celichowski led the Falcons with a career-high 22 points.

Air Force never trailed in the game and a big 11-0 run in the second half helped to propel the Falcons to its first road win of the season.

Stony Brook erased a nine-point Falcon lead by going on an 8-0 run early in the second half. Air Force responded with an 11-0 run to go up 12 at 49-37 with 9:40 to play. Caleb Walker scored eight of the points in the during the big run. Air Force was able to hold off the Seawolves the rest of the way for the win.

The Falcons shot 57 percent from the field and got 36 combined points from its post players. The Falcons went up-tempo for much of the game, collecting a season-high 15 fast break points.

Air Force made a dedicated effort to get the ball into the post in the first half. The tactic paid off, as the Falcons scored 14 points in the paint, with the post duo of Celichowski and Walker combining for 16 points as Air Force held a 27-23 halftime lead. The Falcons out-rebounded the Seawolves 18-11 and did not allow a second-chance bucket in the opening half.

The Falcons allowed Stony Brook to stay in the game by committing 13 first-half turnovers. Guard CJ Luster single-handedly kept Stony Brook in the game by scoring 15 of the team's 23 first-half points.

Celichowski led three Falcons in double figures scoring with his big afternoon. The center was 6-10 from the field and perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. Senior Ethan Taylor stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points and team-high's of eight rebounds, six assists and three assists. Sophomore Caleb Walker added 14 points on a perfect 6-6 shooting from the field. Freshman Kyle Marshall made his first-career start, scoring seven points, to go with six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Lester led Stony Brook with 27 points. Air Force held the Seawolves to 37 percent shooting from the field and 14 percent from three.

Air Force is off from competition for nine days due to finals at the Academy next week. The Falcons return to action Monday, Dec. 16 at Northern Colorado.

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