cotton at air force
Mark Coen
54
VMI VMI 1-5,0-0 SoCon
64
Winner Air Force USAFA 5-2,0-0 Mountain West
VMI VMI
1-5,0-0 SoCon
54
Final
64
Air Force USAFA
5-2,0-0 Mountain West
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
VMI VMI 20 34 54
Air Force USAFA 36 28 64

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

VMI comes up short at Air Force

Gallery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Down by 16 at the break after a cold-shooting opening half, the VMI basketball team used an inspired effort to pull within three points of Air Force midway through the second but ultimately fell short, 64-54, Wednesday afternoon at Clune Arena in Colorado Springs.
 
The Keydets (1-5) went 8-for-29 in the first half (28 percent), including 1-for-7 from beyond the arc, and committed seven turnovers as the Falcons owned a 36-20 halftime lead.  Air Force (5-2) shot nearly 50 percent in the first 20 minutes of play (15-31) and hit five three-pointers en route to a commanding lead.
 
VMI came out hot in the second half, however, and pulled within seven, 38-31, after the Falcons went scoreless for 2:31 to open the second stanza. The Keydets pulled within three, 40-37, following a Koree Cotton layup at the 11:35 mark, but Air Force caught fire again shortly afterward to build a 48-37 lead with 7:50 to play following an 8-0 run and VMI drought that lasted 3:50.
 
 
The Keydets pulled within seven, 55-48, with 4:43 to play after hitting five consecutive field goals. The Falcons used one final push to earn an insurmountable 60-48 lead with 3:43 left in regulation and held on to earn a victory on its home floor. VMI outscored the Falcons, 34-28, in the latter half.
 
Key Stats
*Cotton led VMI with 15 points on the day, just two shy of his season high
*Brennan Watkins also scored in double figures (10), and Tyran Cook finished with seven points
*After shooting 28 percent (8-29) in first half, VMI improved to 57 percent (16-28) in the second in its comeback bid
*VMI finished with three treys on the day (3-16) while the Falcons hit 8 of 29 attempts (27%)
*Beau Becker and Ethan Taylor led the Falcons with 19 points and eight rebounds apiece as the pair nearly logged dual double-doubles. Jeffrey Mills was close behind with 14 points
*VMI outscored Air Force 40-28 in the paint and had 14 points from reserves to zero for the Falcons
 


Up Next
The Keydets come home for Thanksgiving Furlough and return to action Saturday when Clarks Summit pays a visit for a second straight year. Tip-off is set for a 1 p.m. start at Cameron Hall. Admission is free for all Lexington Area students grades K-12.
 
 
 



 
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