AFA basketball notes: Lyons steps up

Air Force freshman guard Michael Lyons had his best Mountain West Conference game Saturday, scoring 16 points and grabbing four rebounds against Wyoming.

Lyons scored eight of the team’s first 11 points, but his biggest bucket came late. With the Falcons clinging to a two-point lead, Lyons drilled a 3 to provide a 57-52 edge with 1 minute, 48 seconds left.

“I was very pleased with Mike Lyons’ performance today,” coach Jeff Reynolds said. “His mom and sister were here all the way from Virginia. So I may not let them go back.”

3s aplenty

Lyons wasn’t the only freshman to make a key 3-pointer. With the score tied midway through the second half, Todd Fletcher — who had missed 17-of-19 3-point attempts to that point in conference play — hit 3s on consecutive possessions. Junior Tom Fow and freshman Mike Fitzgerald then hit 3s on the ensuing possessions to give Air Force four 3s in four trips.

The Falcons, who went 7-of-11 from 3-point range in the second half, tied a season-high with 11 3-pointers.

Falcons protect ball

In their first six conference games, Air Force recorded 55 assists while turning the ball over 78 times.
On Saturday, Air Force made 19 assists and turned the ball over only nine times.