Academy wins basketball conference title

  • Published
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Academy basketball player Nick Welch scored 17 points and Air Force’s stifling defense shut down San Diego State 61-49 March 1 to complete the school’s undefeated home season and clinch its first Mountain West Conference title.

The 21-5 Falcons (11-2 in the conference) never finished higher than sixth place; then it was in the Western Athletic Conference.

The victory moves Air Force, which was picked to finish last in the MWC preseason poll, closer to its first postseason appearance since the 1962 NCAA Tournament.

The Falcons need to win at least one game at the MWC Tournament, held March 11 to 13 in Denver, to enter the door to “March Madness.”

More than 5,800 fans attended the March 1 game which was the final home game for Air Force seniors Marcus Jenkins, Joel Gerlach and A.J. Kuhle. Gerlach scored 14 points and tied his season-high with four 3-pointers, while Kuhle scored two points and dished out a career-high 11 assists, five more than the entire San Diego team.

The nation’s leading defense held San Diego’s Brandon Heath scoreless and allowed Chris Walton just two points. Heath went into the game averaging 14.5 points, and Walton was averaging 8.8.

Air Force closes out the regular season March 6 in Laramie, Wyo., against the University of Wyoming Cowboys. The Falcons will attempt to post the best regular-season record in the five-year history of the Mountain West Conference. No league team has ever finished 12-2.