2011 Academy Basketball Preview: Air Force
November 3rd, 2011 | After Action Air Force Basketball | Posted by Andy Charest
Air Force guard Michael Lyons prepares to shoot during last year's game against Utah. Lyons is the Falcons leading scorer going into the 2011-12 season. (Air Force photo/Bill Evans)
The Falcons look to build on a seven-win improvement from 2010, but will need contributions from incoming freshmen to get over that hump.
Last season: Overall 16-16; Mountain West 6-10
Coach: Jeff Reynolds (fourth season)
Key player: G Michael Lyons (13.7 ppg., 3.5 reb.)
What to watch: The Falcons’ solid defense will need to step up even more this year, with three of the team’s top scorers graduating last year. Third-team All-Mountain West selection Michael Lyons can score in a variety of ways, and hit the 20-point mark seven times last season. The Falcons’ offense is largely perimeter-oriented, but Coach Jeff Reynolds said junior center Taylor Broekhuis (7.5 ppg., 3.4 reb.) has added weight and strength over the summer. Reynolds will rely on a slew of incoming freshmen to help bolster the team’s inside presence.
Season opener: Nov. 11, vs. Army.
Air Force thumps Wyoming in MWC play-in game
March 10th, 2010 | Air Force Basketball | Posted by Phil Creed
Air Force's Saj El-Amin and the rest of the bench celebrate a run against during Air Force's 59-40 win over Wyoming in the MWC tournament Wednesday. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)
Air Force held Wyoming scoreless for the last 5:27 of the second half to run away with a 59-40 win in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament this afternoon in Las Vegas.
It’s the second straight year Air Force has won the play-in game despite having a dismal MWC regular season and finishing dead last in the conference. The Falcons only won one MWC game this year, at home against Wyoming on Jan. 30. Since then Air Force has dropped nine in a row.
Senior forward Grant Parker led Air Force in scoring with 15 points. Freshman guard Michael Lyons came off the bench to add 11.
This was Air Force’s first win away from home since last year’s upset over Colorado State in the MWC tourney. Must be something about Vegas that agrees with the Falcons.
Here’s the ESPN box score.
Air Force doesn’t get much time to celebrate the win. They play No. 1 seed New Mexico (26-3) on Thursday at 1 p.m. PT. But his may not be as bad a matchup as you’d think — Air Force actually gave New Mexico a big scare during a 59-56 loss on Feb. 20.
More pics from the Wyoming game after the jump:
Air Force Academy loses to TCU
February 8th, 2010 | Air Force Basketball | Posted by Alan Lessig
Air Force guard Michael Lyons (14) grabs a rebound between TCU guards Kevin Butler (24) and Garlon Green (33) in the second half of TCU’s 65-51 win Saturday at the Air Force Academy’s Clune Arena. Air Force’s record is now 9-13. (AP Photo/The Gazette, Kevin Kreck)