Air Force basketball continues to search for winning lineup, falls to Colorado State | Sports

With three games left in the season, Air Force is still tinkering with its lineup.

The Falcons utilized 12 players Tuesday in a 77-55 loss to Colorado State, including four freshmen. Players have gone in and out all year, many having shining moments but sitting on the bench the next game.

One senior, Chase Beasley, made his first start and appearance of the season Saturday after logging 26 games and 11 starts last season.

With Kyle Marshall out with an illness, Beasley has filled in the last two games, putting in 23 and 26 minutes, respectively.

While it’s more minutes than he expected in a short amount of time, he came into Tuesday’s game, and every game this season, with a mindset of being ready for anything.

“The coaching staff tells me to always be ready and they have been pushing that since the beginning of the year,” Beasley said. “They tell me you never know when your time will come so I just make sure my body is ready and that I know the plays. The coaches have faith in me. I just have to keep working.”

For coach Joe Scott, it’s all about what he sees in practice.

“Its a grind, you have to be 100% to compete in this league,” Scott said. “I’m always looking for another guy to poke his head out and want to be the one to step up for the team.”

Despite the changing lineups, Beasley said the team comes into every game with the same game plan: value possessions.

“Every game is the same for us, take care of the ball and execute on offense and defense. Those are non-negotiables every game. Same goals, just different teams.”

Two players who have been consistent the entire season are seniors Ethan Taylor and Jeffrey Mills.

For Taylor, the shifting lineups doesn’t bother him.

Game analysis and insights from The Gazette sports staff including columns by Woody Paige and Paul Klee.

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“We have to have confidence in every guy on the team.” Taylor said. “The guys have done a great job at adjusting and getting into the swing of things and paying their best. It hasn’t affected me much because I got confidence and faith in everyone on the team. It shows guys who count themselves out, gives them hope and the mentality that if I work every day you’ll get your shot.”

While players like Will Cooper, who put up 21 points Saturday and nine Tuesday, have seen their roles suddenly increase, Scott wants to see more players doing the same to complement Taylor and Mills.

“Jeff and Ethan have done tons. Guys like them need someone to come along,” Scott said. “That’s the nature of a team, the younger guys helping the older guys and vice versa. Ethan and Jeff, they need guys to understand coming to work every day to help their teammates. That’s a team.”

GAMER BOX

RAMS 77, FALCONS 55

What happened: A back-and-forth first half gave way to a Colorado State runaway, as the visiting Rams outscored Air Force 49-29 in the second half.  The Rams started the second half on a 6-0 run and dominated for the rest of the game, leading by as much as 22. Air Force went scoreless over the final three minutes, while CSU tacked on the final seven points.

What went right: While the Falcons allowed the game to get away from them in the second half, they trailed just 28-26 at the break and played with grit and energy throughout. Consistency has been a struggle for the Falcons, but with three games left coach Joe Scott’s team is starting to find some in regards to the team’s effort and energy.

What went wrong: The Falcons defense held the Rams to 38% shooting in the first half. However, CSU connected at a 62% clip in the final 20 minutes while Air Force committed 12 turnovers. The Rams placed four players in double-digits, led by Kyan Evans with 20 points.

Highlight of the night: Air Force kept the Rams close in the first half that saw five lead changes and five ties. However, it was all the Rams in the second half who got CSU fans on their feet, many wearing No 10 jerseys for Nique Clifford, who was playing his last game in his hometown. Clifford had 11 points and nine rebounds.

Up next: The Falcons head to New Mexico on Saturday to face the Lobos at noon MST.

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