Final: UNLV 65, Air Force 63 (overtime)

January 29th, 2012, 1:18 am · 17 Comments · posted by Frank Schwab

Had Air Force guard Michael Lyons’ final shot of regulation fell, or even if a foul Lyons thought he drew on his drive to the basket was called, the night at Clune Arena probably would have ended up with Falcons fans on the Clune Arena floor celebrating the biggest upset in program history.

Instead, Air Force seemed to be spent when Lyons’ shot came off the rim and the game went to overtime. The Falcons fell short in overtime, but it wasn’t because they didn’t play hard.

“Great effort,” coach Jeff Reynolds said. “Can’t fault our kids’ effort. I thought they played their hearts out.”

Reynolds didn’t blame six overtime turnovers on his team being tired, but it had to be a factor. For most of the game, sensing the very real possibility of beating a ranked team for only the second time in Air Force basketball history (the other win was against 21st-ranked UTEP in 1992; UNLV is ranked 12th), every loose ball ended up with an Air Force player or two on the floor. The Falcons worked hard to force a talented UNLV team to settle for many bad shots. UNLV shot just 32 percent from the field in the second half and 33 percent in overtime.

Air Force doesn’t usually turn the ball over, but with most of the players on the floor reaching or past 40 minutes of game action, it turned the ball over six times in overtime.

“We’re a little disappointed how we executed at the end,” forward Kamryn Williams said. “The effort was there, everything was there, we just didn’t execute at the end.”

Despite all the mistakes, Air Force still had a chance to win at the end. With 7.6 seconds left and Air Force trailing 65-63, Falcons forward Mike Fitzgerald dove on a loose ball and called a timeout. Air Force called a play for guard Todd Fletcher, who Reynolds termed his best driver and ballhandler. UNLV played Fletcher well on the screen and he didn’t get the shot off. He tried to pass but even if UNLV’s Chace Stanback hadn’t knocked the pass away, it might have been too late to get up any shot.

“Sometimes you make ill-advised decisions under pressure,” Reynolds said.

The loss was disappointing, and dropped Air Force to 11-8 and 1-4 in Mountain West play, but it could end up being a confidence builder for the Falcons.

“We’re a good basketball team,” Reynolds said. “We’ve got to continue to believe in what we’re doing and at some point we’ll be in a position where at least we get a shot at it.”

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About this blog …

I'm Frank Schwab, Air Force beat reporter for The Gazette. I've been at the paper since 2003, and covered the Broncos for seven seasons. I covered the University of Wisconsin in the late 1990s, so I'm well versed in running football teams (Ron Dayne) and defensive basketball teams (Dick Bennett). I love to chat on www.twitter.com/GazetteAirForce, and will respond to comments and emails at frank.schwab@gazette.com.

For more coverage, visit The Gazette's Air Force Academy Sports page

FPC says:

January 29, 2012 at 8:01 am

Here is my view on shooting late into the shot clock. The pace is primarily to stall your opponent, and in turn lower the opponents final score…theoretically, in your favor.
When working the clock, you should look for the open 15ft. shot. That means passing the ball inside the perimeter to the open shooter. AF offense is dictating this slow play so inexcusably deep in the perimeter, they are reducing their odds to get the open shot when the clock runs down to five seconds, they are often still five feet outside the three point line on the perimeter.

My view is, if you are going to adopt a “SLOW PLAY “, or as I like to call it, “Snailball”, execute it correctly.

When you stand out side the perimeter looking for a last shot scenario on every play your Defense knows you are stalling, and they either press you forcing us to turn it over, which is happening all too regular, or the defenders are not threatened and will simply allow you to remain outside the perimeter as they become well aware they don’t need to defend you until the last ten seconds of the clock. Which then forces AF to either recieve a shot clock violation or “throw-up a low percentage shot.
Either way…this snailball offense is causing AF to lose games.

In the UNLV game, look at the film. When AF offense came down and took the passing and shooting opportunity inside the first 25 seconds, we were mostly successful.

When we opted to delay past the first 25 seconds, we were forced to make bad passes we got off low percentage shots, or we were darn close to a shot clock violation.

You cannot just adopt a slow play structure and expect because you are reducing your opponents possessions, you will increase you chances to win significantly enough to warrant the philosophy.
That makes you a dreamer, as a Coach trying to convince slow play is your vest chance to win. Your best chance to win is limiting your opponents FG %. In both thier first 25 seconds, and in the last ten seconds. Messure that, then come talk slow play to me.

You execute slow play, because you have good shooters in the last 10 seconds, and can afford to be risky…or you are of greater certainty, to get off the open 15ft. Jumper.

We execute this snailball, but we are shooting ourselves in the foot because, frankly, we suck at the FG % in the last 10 seconds of the clock. Measure it!

I don’t know how I can explain our shortcoming any more clearly, than to say you do not just as JR has, go out and adopt a slow play policy on the floor and yet after FOUR seasons of losing, you cannot understand how slow play ball is executed proficiently on the floor.

It does not mean you stand dribbling the ball outside the perimeter by a distance of 20 ft. Then in the last five seconds hope you find an open shooter!

That is what we are doing. I am at every game, and I review the films. We are to date 9-50 conference play in four years…how perfect is this “snailball” slow it down play philosophy working for us, Jeff Reynolds? We have tge best team in four years and we have only beaten Boise St. this year. What do you say when we finish with only three conference wins again this year? Oh, the MWC is so much better than last year. That excuse only works so long.

Ask Don Self at KU all those years, what defensive FG% means associated with winning basketball games. AF DEFENSE IS GREAT!!!!!

Then ask him how to execute slow play properly in the NCAA. Jeff has a diffucult task, I simply am not a fan of shot clock violations, or low percentage shots LATE IN THE SHOT CLOCK, set after set, after set, after set, etc.

Thanks for the lesson. I have learned much this week!

Old School says:

January 29, 2012 at 8:57 am

Well, a great game last night! The crowd was there, AF effort was there, and the refs were there too (except for swallowing their whistles in the last foul against AF in regulation). Now, here is my take. Taylor Broekhuis was working hard all night. UNLV’s big man (thug) had fouled out. When we got it inside, UNLV had to honor this defensively but also had to think about the perimeter shot. Now, taylor had a sweet baby hook and a nice up and under. Those were THE ONLY TWO TIMES we went to him effectively!! When he made the baby hook, he was immediately benched. Point is, when AF players get hot, they are usually benched. There was a rotation that was working. Let them play and stop over-coaching

rjp says:

January 29, 2012 at 10:01 am

Just an observation. The previous play prior to getting taken out Taylor game out of the lane fatigued after battling for rebound. He indeed did get taken out but was back in in less than one minute. You got one guy saying the guys don’t get enough rest and too much playing time, and you get another guy saying ‘don’t take him out’. Can’t please everyone ever time.

Great effort by the Falcons. Agree with many after watching the replay that Lyons should have been given the foul shots after a foul being called on his drive. He got hit with the defenders body as he was going up for the layup. Very, very inconsistent reffing last night (that was the same guys that just put the ball down on the floor in the CU game).

GO FALCONS

January 29, 2012 at 10:42 am

Good comments. I hate saying this
Refs wont call foul on any ranked teams in last shot to cause UNLV or SDSU LOSS. WONT HAPPEN! MWC unspoken reality. Everyone sees it..no one wants to admit it.
.

January 29, 2012 at 11:30 am

FPC….we both agree on that! Too bad on the no-call. If it had been UNLV getting that little ‘shove’ it would have been called. This is (again) too bad for our players that a great effort was taken away from them. GO FALCONS….tough game on Tuesday vs NM home at Clune!

Bluefan says:

January 29, 2012 at 1:41 pm

The win was in our hands. Too bad.
We’ll beat TCU and Boise State, wonder where other wins will come from, maybe Wyoming and CSU at home.
UNLV did not look like a Top 25 team last night.
We’re playing hard, good to see.

FalconFan5 says:

January 29, 2012 at 6:14 pm

FPC, I agree, snailball is not getting it done, particularily in MWC play. We are trying too many passes inside the perimeter and look at the number of turnovers there. This team need to pick up the pace of play. You are also right on fouls. Lyons was clearly fouled at end of regulation as was Fletcher in last seconds of OT. MWC wants four teams in the NCAA/NIT and the Chosen Four this year are SDS, UNLV, NM, and CSU. You can bet the bank account that the other four MWC teams (AF, TCU, Boise, and Wyoming) will NEVER get a call in a close game against one of the Chosen Four teams. In fact I personally don’t believe AF, TCU, Boise, or Wyoming will ever get a win this year in a close game against one of the Chosen Four. The MWC will make sure that doesn’t happen!

coach4life says:

January 30, 2012 at 5:17 pm

FPC,
I am a retired college basketball coach (20 yrs.)who is not just a AF alumni or a fan, but did coach 4 yrs. at an NCAA I military institution.

Because the MWC has become so much stronger the past 3 years, coaching at AFA may be one of the 5 toughest jobs in USA. As a fan, everyone wants to see their team play a faster, more exciting pace. All coaches want their team to fastbreak and get all the easy points in transition they can. Reality is: although AF talent is getting much better, more athletic, it will never come close to matching the athleticism, quickness, length, etc. of most teams in MWC.

When your competition has superior talent, the faster the game and the more possessions played, the more the talent takes over and dominates. The only way AF will ever compete and be in position to win games is cut down the number of possessions, must shoot well to win, and there is little margin for error– ie turnovers, offensive putbacks, etc.

If AF starts running the ball up/down the floor and the total possessions climb from 56 to 70-80, instead of being in games with a chance to win.. they will start getting beat 87-59.

Certainly, they maybe not pass up some open shots earlier in the clock, but AFA is very, very close to getting over the hump. They just have to stay the course and persevere. They will get there. Go Falcons!

Frank Schwab says:

January 30, 2012 at 5:22 pm

Agree completely with coach4life, the faster pace might seem more exciting on the surface, but it would not be successful at AFA. Running with a team like UNLV would be suicide. And the stats tell you they are shooting the ball just fine – a 52.1 percent effective FG is 60th in the nation according to kenpom.com. They’ve turned the ball over too much and they don’t get many offensive rebounds (by choice, they don’t crash the boards), problems that aren’t really fixed by speeding the game up, IMO.

January 30, 2012 at 7:33 pm

. Coach, based upon your views…
!
1) AFA should not be in this Conf…as we will “Never come close to the talent and athleticism, etc of most teams”
2) Cannot win any way except reduce possessions of their oppenent. Don Self would and does differ with your views.
3) Based on this Conf,depth, it is one of the five toughest Conferences to Coach in , in the Country…that would tell you that JR would have offers with schools around the Nation. Do you know of any?
4) Based upon your use of NEVER, THESE CADETS should be quite discouraged.
5) stay the course, we will get there? Where will we get to exactly? You use Never, you use superior talent, you use only way they will ever compete is in reducing possessions of our opponents.

What you just stated, is this team does not belong in the MWC, The last four years proves this team does not belong in the conference, and the fans should expect losing to superior teams regularly. You better not try to sell tickets to these games….we are all wasting our time if we expect to see a fair product on the floor. I’ll just stay home and join the rest of the AF fans and watch these losing inferior basketball products on Cable. Save myself $650 a year. Thanks for your wisdom, it helps me decide where to spend my entertaimment funds

January 31, 2012 at 12:40 pm

FPC…I believe you are reading what you want to read, not the intent. No, we are not and will not ever recruit 3/4 star athletes in any of our sports consistently. Therefore in general we will not be ‘as athletic’ etc. Point is that we must (just like football) find ways in the system and coaching to use what we have to win ball games. McCraw, Burtschi, Keller, Kuhle, Gerlach, Hood, Welch, Anderson, Frye, etc, etc, etc were not the physical athelets as on other teams but made that up with determination, ability to shoot and doing that in a system that made the most of those abilities resulting in 2xNCAA and the NIT semis. You know, I know what that means and we are currently striving toward that.

Folks sometimes forget how ‘close’ we are to having that breakout year and I mean this year no matter what you think of the play. Does everyone realize lost to Drake at a shot at the Buzzer (after 10days off and behind by 8 at the half), Lost to CU at the buzzer in OT (AFTER the ref lay’s the ball down on the ground after a TO and CU grabs the ball and scores), AF only down by 5 at SDSU AFTER GOING 1-18 FROM THE 3PT ARC, AF losses at TCU by 3 with a chance to tie at the buzzer, AF loses to #12UNLV in OT (with a no-call foul by SD at the end of regulation that would’a, should’a been game winning FT’s). And this is with Mike Lyons and Taylor Stewarts maor injuries. Lots to be feeling good about….everything except the record and final outcomes!!!

You and I disagree on many things but I do believe we both agree on the support for our Falcons and the desire to see them win.

GO FALCONS, BEAT THE LOBOS

January 31, 2012 at 10:58 pm

Beat the Lobos, cough cough. Thank goodness for AF Football. We should have joined the Big East in Football and put all the other sports in the Big Sky or RMAC, WE CANNOT COMPETE.

January 31, 2012 at 11:22 pm

Like I was saying, slow down is pathetic, and AF has no business in this conference. MUEH needs to recognize this or risk demoralizing this program irrevocably. Regardless of the pipedreams, this is year four and the product being coached is not fit for Div I basketball. Week six into Conf play. We shot 20% we are horrible, and the coaching has no excuses after four years in the basement of the MWC. wake up Mueh, your killing these young cadets with this pill they cannot swallow!

Stantheman says:

January 31, 2012 at 11:36 pm

Military teams are always terrible at basketball, but you do want to be competitive, we need to get out of the Mountain West. Besides football we are not competitive at anything. Look at hockey, get in an easy conference and look what you can do. AF Hockey beats the likes of Bentley, AIC, RIT, Mercyhurst, Holy Cross, Robert Morris, Canisius, Sacred Heart. That’s who we need to be playing in basketball, baseball, volleyball, etc. Serratore is no dummy. I feel bad for the basketball coaches at AF.

jual kaos says:

March 29, 2012 at 6:49 pm

jual kaos…

[...]Final: UNLV 65, Air Force 63 (overtime) – Air Force : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO[...]…

April 12, 2012 at 4:20 am

grandparent rights says:

April 12, 2012 at 5:40 am

grandparent rights…