Dismal offensive start costs Air Force in 74-63 loss at Wyoming
LARAMIE, Wyo. • By the time Air Force figured out its offense against Wyoming on Tuesday, the Falcons were in too deep of a hole.
The Falcons caught fire midway through the second half to claw back from a 19-point deficit. But the Cowboys’ advantage proved to be too much, as Air Force lost 74-63.
“It’s a lack of us focusing in on the scouting report and a lack of us getting the boards,” junior guard Jeffrey Mills said. “On top of that, we weren’t able to execute on offense. We were getting the shots; we just weren’t hitting them.”
Air Force came out of the gates rusty.
The Falcons shot just 33% from the field in the first half and scored just 22 points. Their saving grace is that Wyoming also struggled, shooting 37% and leading by just five at halftime.
But early in the second half, it went from bad to worse.
Wyoming opened the second half on a 14-0 run. Air Force didn’t score until almost eight minutes into the second half.
During that span, Kellan Boylan received a flagrant two foul and was ejected. The official called Boylan for a cut block on Wyoming’s Mason Walters.
For those nearly eight minutes, everything that could’ve gone wrong did.
“Those 10-0-plus runs are killer,” junior guard Byron Brown said. “They’re really hard to come back from, especially when you’re already down a bit at half. We have to find a way to prevent those runs from happening.”
After that, Air Force got into a groove.
The Falcons went on an 8-0 run before eventually cutting Wyoming’s lead to four points with 4:15 remaining. But the Cowboys made five of their last six field-goal attempts to win by double digits.
“We were getting stops, and stops lead to better offense on our possessions,” Mills said. “We have to take it personally and get stronger in the weight room so stuff like that doesn’t happen.”
Wyoming’s Brendan Wenzel scored a game-high 20 points. Cowboys Sam Griffin and Akuel Kot were just behind with 19 points each.
The Cowboys also dominated inside. They outrebounded Air Force 35-25 and scored 30 points in the paint.
For Air Force, Mills, Brown and Luke Kearney all finished in double figures. Mills, playing in his first game since suffering a back injury, led the Falcons with 17 points and made five 3-pointers.
Air Force (9-20, 2-15 Mountain West) remains in last place in the conference standings, but the Falcons could climb to No. 10. They would rise in the Mountain West standings with a win against Colorado State on Saturday and a San Jose State loss to Utah State on Wednesday.
Regardless of whether the Falcons enter the conference tournament seeded No. 10 or No. 11, Air Force coach Joe Scott feels optimistic about how his team has grown.
“We are getting stronger,” Scott said. “To get the strength and toughness you need to win, it’s a four-year thing. I see more bodies there.”
Wyoming’s Brendan Wenzel blocks Air Force’s Rytis Petraitis during Tuesday’s game in Laramie, Wyo. Wyoming won, 74-63.
Air Force’s Luke Kearney attempts a shot against Wyoming’s Cam Manyawu on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (Carson Field, The Gazette)
Air Force’s Byron Brown scrambles for a loose ball against Wyoming on Tuesday during their Mountain West Conference game in Laramie, Wyo.
Air Force’s Kellan Boylan drives against Wyoming on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
