SAN JOSE, Calif. – Chris Joyce hit a 3-point basket with 3.8 seconds remaining in the second overtime giving Air Force a 73-71 win over San Jose State University in a Mountain West men's basketball game.
The loss by the Spartans (3-16, 0-7 Mountain West) offset Michael Steadman's game-high and season-high 24 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Brae Ivey added 18 points, 15 of them after intermission.
It was Ivey who prolonged the game with a three-point basket with 00.1 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime at 56-56. Then it was Ivey who tied the score at 65-65 with 19.1 seconds to go in the first overtime on a drive to the basket.
Air Force (9-11, 4-4 Mountain West) took a 70-66 lead in the second overtime on Caleb Morris' fourth three-pointer of the game and a basket by Ryan Swan. Only a Seneca Knight free throw offset the Falcons' early second-overtime scoring.
Ivey's fourth three-pointer and a basket by Knight underneath gave San Jose State a 71-70 lead with 26.0 seconds to go.
Free throw misses by both teams prolonged the contest. The Spartans converted just 9-of-20 for the game and were 1-of-5 in the second overtime. Air Force was 4-of-14 from the free throw line and was 1-of-4 in the first overtime.
Even after Joyce's three-pointer, San Jose State's Noah Baumann, the conference's most accurate three-point shooter, had a chance to win it for the Spartans. His three-point try from the right side brushed off the rim giving the Falcons the win. Baumann was San Jose State's third double-figure scorer with 12 points.
Air Force overcame a 15-point first-half deficit and a season-low 19 points in the first 20 minutes for the win. A.J. Walker and Lavelle Scottie each scored 12 to lead the Falcons in scoring.
Air Force only made 34.1 percent of its field goal tries. San Jose State was slightly better at 40.3. Consequently, Ashtin Chastain and Craig LeCesne of the Spartans finished with season rebounding highs of 13 and 12, respectively.
San Jose State is next in action at Utah State, Wednesday, January 30.