Feb. 12, 2014
San José, Calif.----- San José State University's bid for its first Mountain West Conference men's basketball win fell seconds short in a 51-48 loss to Air Force at The Event Center Wednesday night.
Guard Devante Wilson's potential game-tying three-point basket try from just beyond the top of the key at the buzzer was blocked by DeLovell Earls preserving the Falcons' win. Wilson led San José State in scoring with 15 points.
Forward Chris Cunningham notched his fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds as the Spartans (6-18, 0-12 Mountain West) outrebounded the Falcons (10-13, 4-8 Mountain West), 41-33. It was the first time in six games San José State outrebounded an opponent.
Air Force starting forward Kamryn Williams was one of three Falcon starters in double figures with a team-high 15 points. Center Marek Olesinski tossed in 13 including three three-point baskets in the first half, and guard Max Yon added 11.
Both teams struggled from the field. Air Force shot 32.8 percent in the win (19-of-58), only slightly better than San José State's 30.2 percent (16-of-53).
Air Force took a 29-22 halftime lead in part hitting 6-of-14 from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes. The Falcons led by as many as nine points, 46-37 with 7:42 remaining after an Olesinski perimeter jumper.
The Spartans went on an 11-1 rally over the next 4:45, taking their first lead of the game at 48-47, on a Dylan Alexander runner in the lane with 2:58 remaining. Alexander nailed a three-pointer on San José State's previous possession to cut the deficit to 47-46.
Unfortunately, that basket would be the final points the Spartans would score for the rest of the game. Air Force closed out the scoring on Tré Coggins only basket of the game - a fade-away on the left baseline from 10 feet out at the 2:1 mark and two Yon free throws with 10.2 seconds left.
Before Yon's final free throws, the Spartans failed to take the lead on any of their three possessions.
San José State continues at home this Saturday with a Mountain West game against Wyoming. Tip is set for 2 p.m. at The Event Center.
Air Force vs San José State
02/12/14 7:05 p.m. at San José, Calif. (The Event Center)
AIR FORCE 51, SAN JOSÉ STATE 48
AIR FORCE (10-13, 4-8 MW)
WILLIAMS, Kamryn 6-12 2-3 15; OLESINSKI, Marek 5-12 0-0 13; YON, Max 3-9 3-4 11; KOCUR, Zach 2-4 0-0 5; COGGINS, Tre' 1-12 1-3 3; HAMMONDS, Justin 1-5 0-0 2; EARLS, DeLovell 1-3 0-0 2; GRAHAM, Hayden 0-1 0-0 0; KAMMERER, Chase 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-58 6-10 51.
SAN JOSÉ STATE (6-18, 0-12 MW)
Wilson, Devante 3-9 6-7 15; Cunningham, Chris 6-10 1-2 13; Muhammad, Rashad 2-10 0-0 5; Mitchell, Brandon 2-4 1-2 5; Alexander, Dylan 2-2 0-0 5; Thornton, Isaac 1-9 3-4 5; Williams, Jaleel 0-4 0-0 0; Brown, D.J. 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 16-53 11-15 48.
Air Force..................... 29 22 - 51
San José State................ 22 26 - 48
3-point goals--Air Force 7-22 (OLESINSKI, Marek 3-9; YON, Max 2-4; KOCUR, Zach 1-2; WILLIAMS, Kamryn 1-1; EARLS, DeLovell 0-1; COGGINS, Tre' 0-5), San José State 5-18 (Wilson, Devante 3-6; Alexander, Dylan 1-1; Muhammad, Rashad 1-2; Thornton, Isaac 0-2; Williams, Jaleel 0-2; Brown, D.J. 0-5). Fouled out--Air Force-None, San José State-None. Rebounds--Air Force 33 (OLESINSKI, Marek 7; HAMMONDS, Justin 7; WILLIAMS, Kamryn 7), San José State 41 (Cunningham, Chris 11). Assists--Air Force 13 (COGGINS, Tre' 5), San José State 9 (Brown, D.J. 2; Williams, Jaleel 2; Thornton, Isaac 2; Alexander, Dylan 2). Total fouls--Air Force 12, San José State 12. Technical fouls--Air Force-None, San José State-TEAM. A-1326.
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