AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Reese Waters scored 15 points, making five of San Diego State’s season-high 11 3-pointers, and the 24th-ranked Aztecs cruised to a 77-64 win over Air Force on Tuesday night.
The Aztecs (18-5, 7-3 Mountain West) took 5 1/2 minutes to settle in and grab their first lead, but once they did they never looked back. They broke open the game with a 13-0 first-half run and eventually led by 25 in winning their ninth straight over the Falcons (8-14, 1-9).
“I’m ecstatic to get out of here with a win,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said.
To be in first place, too, as San Diego State joined No. 25 New Mexico, No. 22 Utah State and Boise State at the top of the conference standings.
The physical presence of Jaedon LeDee down low proved too much for Air Force to handle as he finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. For that, he can give a big assist to his outside shooters. The Aztecs were 11 of 22 from 3-point range.
“It’s going to open up the floor for Jaedon to have an easier time in the paint and not get doubled all the time,” Waters said of the team’s efficiency from long range.
San Diego State played hounding defense, too, and forced 11 turnovers in the first half — including three shot-clock infractions. But the Falcons cleaned things up after halftime, shooting 58.3% from the floor and committing just three turnovers. That allowed them to turn what looked like a blowout into a respectable margin by outscoring the Aztecs 44-32 in the second half.
Air Force guard Byron Brown, left, loses control of the ball as San Diego State guard Darrion Trammell defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, at Air Force Academy, Colo. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
“We’ve got to learn how to get better when the pressure’s on,” Air Force coach Joe Scott said. “We’ve got to learn how to really be good under pressure all the time. That’s learned behavior.”
Beau Becker and Jeffrey Mills both had 15…
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