AZTECS' FIREPOWER COOLS OFF FALCONS

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Feb 7, 2008 | by JAKE SCHALLER

SAN DIEGO - Air Force gave San Diego State everything it could handle for most of Wednesday night's Mountain West Conference game at Cox Arena.

But the Falcons struggled to score -- especially late -- and the Aztecs pulled away for a 49-38 victory in front of an announced crowd of 7,062.

With the loss, Air Force fell to 12-9 and completed the first half of Mountain West Conference play 4-4. San Diego State improved to 16-6 and 6-2 and moved into a tie for second place in the league with UNLV.

The Falcons stayed close by playing ferocious defense -- they forced 14 turnovers and limited San Diego State to 41.9 percent shooting -- and slowing the game down on offense. But while they worked hard to bleed the shot clock, the Falcons often couldn't finish possessions with scores. They made just 13 of 42 shots (31 percent), including 4 of 18 3-pointers.

"I thought defensively we played well enough to win the game," Air Force coach Jeff Reynolds said. "I thought on the offensive end, we couldn't make shots. You have to give San Diego State credit, though. They did a great job of contesting our shots. Their length really bothered us."

San Diego State's Lorrenzo Wade led all scorers with 14 points and guarded Air Force senior Tim Anderson effectively. Anderson still scored a teamhigh 12, and junior Andrew Henke added eight, but the Falcons got one point combined from starters Evan Washington and Anwar Johnson.

Air Force trailed just 36-32 after Keith Maren hit a 3-pointer with 6:09 to play, but San Diego State went on an 11-0 run to pull away. Billy White and Kelvin Davis both scored back-breaking putback buckets in the stretch.

"That's the time in the game where we need to push through and get stops and then get a bucket, and we didn't do that," Henke said.

Air Force led 21-19 early in the second half on a 3-pointer by Henke, and seemed poised to build upon it when it forced a turnover. But the turnover was nullified by an intentional foul on senior guard Adam Hood for grabbing Wade.

"I think he was trying to stop the break, and he jumped out in front of me and I just tried to move him out of the way," Hood said.

San Diego State was awarded a pair of free throws and possession. Wade made both free throws, and Ryan Amoroso followed with a hook in the lane. On the Aztecs' next trip down the court, Richie Williams turned a rebound into a 3-pointer to give San Diego State a 26-21 lead.

"I think it may have changed the momentum right then and for a few minutes, but I don't think that was the difference in the game," Reynolds said. "I think (Hood) was making an effort at the ball and grabbed him."

San Diego State extended its lead to 36-27. But after getting within four on Maren's 3, the Falcons could get no closer, going five straight possessions without points.

"We've got to become better offensively if we're going to make a push in the league," Reynolds said.