Feb. 22, 2006
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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) – Antoine Hood scored 16 points and Air Force held New Mexico to its lowest total of the season in its 51-46 win over the Lobos Wednesday night.
Dan Nwaelele and Matt McCraw each added 10 points – both making three 3-pointers – for the Falcons, who extended their home winning streak to 14 games this season and tied a school record with 22 wins in one season. The Falcons finished 22-7 during the 2003-04 season.
Mark Walters led the Lobos with 17 points, while David Chiotti scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for New Mexico (16-10, 7-6).
McCraw’s 3-pointer gave the Falcons a 35-28 lead with 7:48 remaining, but the Lobos climbed back, helped by Air Force’s poor free-throw shooting down the stretch. The Falcons missed five throws in the game’s final 4:29.
Walters and Kellen Walter each hit 3-pointers late in the game to pull New Mexico within two points with a minute remaining. Both teams made five 3-pointers in the second half.
McCraw made one free throw, then missed his second with 33 seconds remaining to make it 47-44. But Chiotti lost the ball out-of-bounds in front of the Air Force bench after McCraw’s miss, giving the Falcons the ball back.
Hood couldn’t seal the win with 22.9 seconds left, making just one free throw. Chad Toppert then hit a shot under the basket to make it 48-46 with 16.6 remaining.
Jacob Burtschi then made two free throws and Hood added another for the final margin.
The Falcons (22-5, 10-4) lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing 53.8 points a game, and they confounded the Lobos the entire game. New Mexico shot 37.3 percent from the field and scored just 18 first-half points – also its lowest first-half total of the season.
New Mexico had scored 47 points in its win last Wednesday over Wyoming.
The Lobos also couldn’t knock their easy shots down, instead watching close shots and lay-ups rim out or circle the hoop before falling outside the basket.