Air Force looks for redemption against SJSU after buzzer-beater in first meeting
Air Force missed an opportunity on Saturday, but the Falcons have another one on the horizon.
The Falcons fell 68-66 at home against Fresno State for their 13th loss in the last 14 games. They have a chance at redemption on Tuesday against San Jose State, which is tied for last in the Mountain West.
What happened in the last meeting?
Madness happened.
Air Force, down double digits in the second half, made a heroic comeback and tied the game in the final minute. But San Jose State’s Myron Amey Jr. made a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Spartans the win.
That win is SJSU’s (8-16, 1-10 Mountain West) only one of conference play. Since then, the Spartans have lost six of seven games by double digits.
Is it a disadvantage playing on the road?
For most teams, playing on the road would hurt their chances of winning. But not necessarily for Air Force.
The Falcons (8-15, 1-10) are 4-9 at home and haven’t won at Clune Arena since their Nov. 22 win against Virginia Military Institute. Air Force is 4-5 on the road.
The Falcons’ most notable win also came away from the academy. Air Force beat UNLV 90-58 for its lone conference win on Jan. 23, which is also the Falcons’ only win outside of “quad four” in the NET rankings.
That’s not to say Air Force is a great team on the road. The Falcons recently lost 94-56 to Boise State in Boise.
But the team has been competitive more often when it doesn’t play at Clune Arena.
SJSU player to watch
Amey, who hit the buzzer-beater in Air Force and San Jose State’s first meeting, is the Spartans’ top player.
The junior guard averages 15 points per game, which leads SJSU. Amey also leads the Spartans in rebounds (4.9) and assists (3) per game.
In addition to hitting the game-winner, Amey scored 16 points and logged 9 rebounds in the Spartans’ 70-67 win over Air Force on Jan. 13.
Who can step up from Air Force?
While the wins haven’t come lately, Jeffrey Mills has been on a heater.
The junior guard has reached double figures in five of his last six outings. Mills scored a career-high 20 points in Air Force’s loss to Fresno State on Saturday.
In an offense that already relied on key scorers like Ethan Taylor, Rytis Petraitis and Beau Becker, Mills’ uptick in scoring has made the Falcons more versatile.
Air Force’s Beau Becker has the ball stripped by San Jose State’s Myron Amey Jr. on Saturday. (Carson Field, The Gazette)
San Jose State’s Myron Amey, Jr. celebrates with his teammates after hitting the game-winning shot against Air Force on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Carson Field, The Gazette)
Air Force’s Jeffrey Mills shoots against SJSU on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
Air Force’s Beau Becker shoots a 3-pointer against SJSU on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.