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Martinez scores 21 to help No. 22 Utah State top Air Force 72-60

AP
Mar 02, 2024

LOGAN, Utah (AP) Ian Martinez scored 21 points to lead No. 22 Utah State to a 72-60 victory over Air Force on Friday night.

Martinez had his fifth 20-point game of his career after shooting 7-of-10 from the field. It was a nice bounce back performance for the senior guard after totaling 10 points and three field goals over his previous two contests.

When he knocked down a 3-pointer for his first basket just a minute into the game, Martinez instantly felt like he was back on track offensively.

“I had been missing a lot of shots lately so it kind of got my confidence going,” Martinez said. “I think it gave us a little rhythm too. The mentality was just to come in and get the first punch in the first four minutes, try and set the tone.”

Mason Falslev added 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists to help the Aggies (24-5, 12-4 Mountain West) win their third straight game. Utah State outscored Air Force 16-0 in fastbreak points. The Aggies also totaled 11 steals and forced 13 turnovers overall.

Ethan Taylor led Air Force with 15 points. Rytis Petraitis chipped in 14 points and Beau Becker added 12 for the Falcons (9-19, 2-14), who lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

Utah State made six straight baskets and scored on eight consecutive possessions overall to build a 34-19 lead late in the first half. Martinez led the charge with two baskets and a pair of free throws during that decisive stretch.

“He’s just really hard to guard,” Utah State coach Danny Sprinkle said. “When we space correctly and he goes one-on-one, he’s going to draw two defenders and he’s a willing passer.”

Air Force trimmed the deficit to single digits after halftime, cutting Utah State’s lead to 56-48 with 12:14 left after Taylor and Becker knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers.

That’s as close as Air Force got before the Aggies pulled away again. The Falcons endured a seven-minute scoring drought, opening the door for Utah State push its lead back to double digits.

“We had five possessions in a row where we didn’t execute,” Air Force coach Joe Scott said. “We weren’t doing what we were doing (earlier). You can’t do it against a team like this. You can’t do it against any team in this league basically because everyone is good.”

Javon Jackson’s fastbreak layup capped an 11-0 run that gave the Aggies a 67-48 lead with 5:27 remaining.

Utah State’s stifling defense gave the Aggies breathing room during a quiet second half offensively where they made only eight field goals.

“That’s our staple,” Sprinkle said. “If we don’t guard, we don’t have a chance.”

BIG PICTURE

Air Force has never won a road game against a ranked opponent and fell to 4-91 all-time against ranked teams.

Utah State led wire to wire while taking another step closer to clinching a share of the Mountain West Conference regular season title.

UP NEXT

Air Force visits Wyoming on Tuesday.

Utah State visits San Jose State on Wednesday.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

1st Half
AF
Falcons
30
UTST
Aggies
43

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Beau Becker vs. Great Osobor (Aggies gains possession)
19:49	+2	Darius Brown II makes two point layup	0-2
19:32		Beau Becker misses two point jump shot
19:30		Mason Falslev defensive rebound
19:23		Byron Brown shooting foul (Josh Uduje draws the foul)
19:23	+1	Josh Uduje makes regular free throw 1 of 2	0-3
19:23	+1	Josh Uduje makes regular free throw 2 of 2	0-4
19:06	+2	Rytis Petraitis makes two point jump shot (Byron Brown assists)	2-4
18:53	+3	Ian Martinez makes three point jump shot (Mason Falslev assists)	2-7
18:31		Rytis Petraitis misses three point jump shot
18:29		Darius Brown II defensive rebound
18:21		Ian Martinez misses three point jump shot
18:19		Ethan Taylor defensive rebound
17:55		Byron Brown misses two point jump shot
17:53		Ian Martinez defensive rebound
17:50		Josh Uduje turnover (traveling)
17:34	+2	Kellan Boylan makes two point layup (Rytis Petraitis assists)	4-7
17:16		Great Osobor misses two point layup
17:14		Ethan Taylor defensive rebound
16:49	+2	Rytis Petraitis makes two point jump shot	6-7
16:25	+2	Ian Martinez makes two point layup	6-9
16:12	+2	Kellan Boylan makes two point layup	8-9
15:59	+3	Darius Brown II makes three point jump shot	8-12
15:37		Ethan Taylor misses three point jump shot
15:35		Josh Uduje defensive rebound
15:22		Mason Falslev misses two point layup
15:20		Beau Becker defensive rebound
14:59		Beau Becker misses three point jump shot
14:57		Ian Martinez defensive rebound
14:53		Ian Martinez turnover (lost ball) (Rytis Petraitis steals)
14:31		Byron Brown turnover (lost ball) (Ian Martinez steals)
14:22		Great Osobor misses two point layup
14:20		Mason Falslev offensive rebound
14:14	+2	Mason Falslev makes two point layup	8-14
14:09		Rytis Petraitis turnover (lost ball) (Mason Falslev steals)
14:00	+2	Josh Uduje makes two point dunk	8-16
13:31		Ethan Taylor misses three point jump shot
13:29		Ian Martinez defensive rebound
13:24		Ian Martinez turnover (lost ball) (Kellan Boylan steals)
13:24		Ian Martinez personal foul
13:23		TV timeout
13:02		Mason Falslev personal foul
13:00		Luke Kearney misses three point jump shot
12:58		Darius Brown II defensive rebound
12:44		Great Osobor misses two point layup
12:42		Luke Kearney defensive rebound
12:29	+2	Rytis Petraitis makes two point layup	10-16
12:11		Rytis Petraitis personal foul
12:07		Mason Falslev misses three point jump shot
12:05		Byron Brown defensive rebound
11:49		Beau Becker turnover (bad pass) (Javon Jackson steals)
11:42	+2	Javon Jackson makes two point layup	10-18
11:30	+2	Byron Brown makes two point dunk (Luke Kearney assists)	12-18
11:12		Darius Brown II misses three point jump shot
11:10		Ethan Taylor defensive rebound
10:53		Ethan Taylor misses three point jump shot
10:51		Josh Uduje defensive rebound
10:45	+2	Great Osobor makes two point dunk (Mason Falslev assists)	12-20
10:25		Josh Uduje personal foul
10:25		TV timeout
10:10		Luke Kearney turnover (lost ball) (Darius Brown II steals)
10:03	+2	Darius Brown II makes two point layup	12-22
9:40	+3	Byron Brown makes three point jump shot (Wesley Celichowski assists)	15-22
9:16	+2	Ian Martinez makes two point jump shot	15-24
8:59	+2	Wesley Celichowski makes two point layup (Luke Kearney assists)	17-24
8:37	+2	Mason Falslev makes two point layup	17-26
8:18		Luke Kearney misses three point jump shot
8:16		Ian Martinez defensive rebound
8:06	+2	Kalifa Sakho makes two point jump shot (Darius Brown II assists)	17-28
7:49		Rytis Petraitis turnover (bad pass) (Darius Brown II steals)
7:41	+2	Ian Martinez makes two point layup	17-30
7:41		Rytis Petraitis shooting foul (Ian Martinez draws the foul)
7:40		TV timeout
7:41	+1	Ian Martinez makes regular free throw 1 of 1	17-31
7:26		Byron Brown turnover (bad pass) (Josh Uduje steals)
7:16		Wesley Celichowski shooting foul (Kalifa Sakho draws the foul)
7:16	+1	Kalifa Sakho makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-32
7:16		Kalifa Sakho misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:16		Byron Brown defensive rebound
6:48	+2	Byron Brown makes two point layup	19-32
6:34		Wesley Celichowski shooting foul (Ian Martinez draws the foul)
6:34	+1	Ian Martinez makes regular free throw 1 of 2	19-33
6:34	+1	Ian Martinez makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-34
6:23		Darius Brown II personal foul
6:10		Rytis Petraitis misses two point jump shot
6:08		Darius Brown II defensive rebound
6:04		Darius Brown II turnover (bad pass)
5:53	+3	Ethan Taylor makes three point jump shot (Byron Brown assists)	22-34
5:33		Mason Falslev turnover (traveling)
5:23	+2	Rytis Petraitis makes two point dunk (Byron Brown assists)	24-34
5:01	+2	Ian Martinez makes two point layup (Mason Falslev assists)	24-36
4:37	+2	Rytis Petraitis makes two point jump shot	26-36
4:17		Great Osobor misses two point jump shot
4:15		Byron Brown defensive rebound
4:03		Ian Martinez shooting foul (Beau Becker draws the foul)
4:03	+1	Beau Becker makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-36
4:03	+1	Beau Becker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-36
3:46		Darius Brown II turnover (lost ball) (Beau Becker steals)
3:30		Great Osobor blocks Ethan Taylor's two point layup
3:28		Mason Falslev defensive rebound
3:26	+2	Javon Jackson makes two point layup (Mason Falslev assists)	28-38
3:26		Kellan Boylan shooting foul (Mason Falslev draws the foul)
3:26		TV timeout
3:26	+1	Javon Jackson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	28-39
3:18		Byron Brown turnover (lost ball)
2:59		Josh Uduje misses three point jump shot
2:57		Kellan Boylan defensive rebound
2:34		Rytis Petraitis misses three point jump shot
2:32		Aggies defensive rebound
2:08	+2	Mason Falslev makes two point layup	28-41
1:42		Rytis Petraitis misses two point jump shot
1:40		Great Osobor defensive rebound
1:30		Javon Jackson misses three point jump shot
1:29		Aggies offensive rebound
1:29		Beau Becker personal foul (Great Osobor draws the foul)
1:29		Great Osobor misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:29		Beau Becker defensive rebound
1:11	+2	Ethan Taylor makes two point layup (Rytis Petraitis assists)	30-41
1:11		Aggies 30 second timeout
1:07	+2	Mason Falslev makes two point layup (Darius Brown II assists)	30-43
0:35		Rytis Petraitis turnover (lost ball) (Mason Falslev steals)
0:05		Mason Falslev misses three point jump shot
0:03		Josh Uduje offensive rebound
0:01		Josh Uduje misses two point layup
0:00		Kellan Boylan defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
AF
Falcons
30
UTST
Aggies
29

Time		Play	Score
19:43	+2	Byron Brown makes two point layup	32-43
19:43		Josh Uduje shooting foul (Byron Brown draws the foul)
19:43		Byron Brown misses regular free throw 1 of 1
19:43		Great Osobor defensive rebound
19:32		Great Osobor offensive foul (Rytis Petraitis draws the foul)
19:32		Great Osobor turnover (offensive foul)
19:13		Darius Brown II personal foul (Rytis Petraitis draws the foul)
19:10	+2	Ethan Taylor makes two point layup (Rytis Petraitis assists)	34-43
18:44		Ian Martinez misses three point jump shot
18:42		Mason Falslev offensive rebound
18:39		Mason Falslev misses two point layup
18:37		Rytis Petraitis defensive rebound
18:30		Beau Becker misses three point jump shot
18:28		Rytis Petraitis offensive rebound
18:09		Great Osobor blocks Rytis Petraitis's two point layup
18:07		Darius Brown II defensive rebound
17:58		Darius Brown II turnover (bad pass) (Byron Brown steals)
17:28	+2	Rytis Petraitis makes two point layup	36-43
17:06		Ian Martinez turnover (Byron Brown steals)
16:40		Ethan Taylor misses three point jump shot
16:38		Ian Martinez defensive rebound
16:32		Byron Brown personal foul (Great Osobor draws the foul)
16:25	+2	Josh Uduje makes two point layup	36-45
16:05	+2	Beau Becker makes two point dunk (Byron Brown assists)	38-45
15:47		Kellan Boylan flagrant 1 (Great Osobor draws the foul)
15:47		TV timeout
15:47		Darius Brown II misses flagrant free throw 1 of 2
15:47	+1	Darius Brown II makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2	38-46
15:43		Ethan Taylor shooting foul (Kalifa Sakho draws the foul)
15:43	+1	Kalifa Sakho makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-47
15:43		Kalifa Sakho misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:43		Beau Becker defensive rebound
15:19		Darius Brown II shooting foul (Ethan Taylor draws the foul)
15:19	+1	Ethan Taylor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-47
15:19	+1	Ethan Taylor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-47
15:04		Ethan Taylor shooting foul (Ian Martinez draws the foul)
15:04	+1	Ian Martinez makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-48
15:04	+1	Ian Martinez makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-49
14:41		Beau Becker misses three point jump shot
14:39		Javon Jackson defensive rebound
14:27	+2	Josh Uduje makes two point layup	40-51
14:09	+2	Beau Becker makes two point layup (Ethan Taylor assists)	42-51
13:44		Jump ball. Darius Brown II vs. Kellan Boylan (Aggies gains possession)
13:33		Ian Martinez turnover (bad pass) (Byron Brown steals)
13:17		Rytis Petraitis misses two point layup
13:15		Rytis Petraitis offensive rebound
13:11		Ethan Taylor turnover (bad pass) (Ian Martinez steals)
13:06	+2	Javon Jackson makes two point layup (Ian Martinez assists)	42-53
12:50	+3	Ethan Taylor makes three point jump shot (Rytis Petraitis assists)	45-53
12:29	+3	Ian Martinez makes three point jump shot	45-56
12:14	+3	Beau Becker makes three point jump shot (Ethan Taylor assists)	48-56
11:46		Josh Uduje misses two point layup
11:44		Kalifa Sakho offensive rebound
11:41		Darius Brown II misses three point jump shot
11:39		Byron Brown defensive rebound
11:30		Javon Jackson personal foul (Ethan Taylor draws the foul)
11:30		TV timeout
11:12		Rytis Petraitis misses three point jump shot
11:10		Aggies defensive rebound
10:54		Mason Falslev misses two point layup
10:52		Rytis Petraitis defensive rebound
10:43		Rytis Petraitis misses three point jump shot
10:41		Josh Uduje defensive rebound
10:39		Mason Falslev personal foul
10:31		Kellan Boylan misses three point jump shot
10:29		Isaac Johnson defensive rebound
10:24	+2	Josh Uduje makes two point layup (Javon Jackson assists)	48-58
9:51		Falcons turnover (shot clock violation)
9:33		Kellan Boylan personal foul
9:29		Ian Martinez misses three point jump shot
9:27		Beau Becker defensive rebound
9:01		Rytis Petraitis misses two point layup
8:59		Isaac Johnson defensive rebound
8:53		Ian Martinez turnover (bad pass)
8:40		Falcons 30 second timeout
8:40		TV timeout
8:30		Rytis Petraitis turnover (bad pass) (Javon Jackson steals)
8:22		Byron Brown personal foul (Isaac Johnson draws the foul)
8:06		Isaac Johnson misses two point layup
8:05		Isaac Johnson offensive rebound
8:05		Byron Brown shooting foul (Isaac Johnson draws the foul)
8:05		Isaac Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:05	+1	Isaac Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-59
7:45		Kellan Boylan turnover (lost ball) (Ian Martinez steals)
7:41	+2	Ian Martinez makes two point layup	48-61
7:18		Beau Becker misses three point jump shot
7:16		Ian Martinez defensive rebound
7:07		TV timeout
6:53		Wesley Celichowski personal foul (Great Osobor draws the foul)
6:53	+1	Great Osobor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-62
6:53	+1	Great Osobor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-63
6:30		Ethan Taylor misses two point layup
6:28		Great Osobor defensive rebound
6:19		Great Osobor offensive foul (Rytis Petraitis draws the foul)
6:19		Great Osobor turnover (offensive foul)
5:59		Great Osobor blocks Wesley Celichowski's two point layup
5:57		Mason Falslev defensive rebound
5:54		Ethan Taylor shooting foul (Mason Falslev draws the foul)
5:54	+1	Mason Falslev makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-64
5:54	+1	Mason Falslev makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-65
5:34		Rytis Petraitis misses two point jump shot
5:32		Mason Falslev defensive rebound
5:27	+2	Javon Jackson makes two point layup (Mason Falslev assists)	48-67
4:56	+3	Beau Becker makes three point jump shot (Kellan Boylan assists)	51-67
4:53		Falcons 30 second timeout
4:31		Javon Jackson misses three point jump shot
4:29		Kellan Boylan defensive rebound
4:01		Rytis Petraitis misses two point layup
3:59		Byron Brown offensive rebound
3:58	+2	Byron Brown makes two point layup	53-67
3:37	+2	Great Osobor makes two point layup (Darius Brown II assists)	53-69
3:05	+2	Rytis Petraitis makes two point layup	55-69
2:38		Great Osobor turnover (traveling)
2:38		TV timeout
2:13	+2	Kellan Boylan makes two point layup	57-69
1:43		Josh Uduje misses three point jump shot
1:41		Ethan Taylor defensive rebound
1:18		Great Osobor blocks Rytis Petraitis's two point jump shot
1:16		Aggies defensive rebound
0:46		Darius Brown II misses two point layup
0:44		Aggies offensive rebound
0:37		Ethan Taylor personal foul (Darius Brown II draws the foul)
0:37	+1	Darius Brown II makes regular free throw 1 of 2	57-70
0:37	+1	Darius Brown II makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-71
0:30	+3	Ethan Taylor makes three point jump shot (Rytis Petraitis assists)	60-71
0:26		Kellan Boylan personal foul (Josh Uduje draws the foul)
0:26	+1	Josh Uduje makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-72
0:26		Josh Uduje misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:26		Rytis Petraitis defensive rebound
0:19		Ethan Taylor turnover (lost ball) (Darius Brown II steals)
0:00		End of period

Ethan Taylor turnover (lost ball) (Darius Brown II steals)