The Colorado Springs Gazette

Green hits game-winner as Falcons beat Omaha, sweep home tourney

BY CARSON FIELD carson.field@gazette.com

In a game that almost got away from Air Force, Corbin Green was the hero.

After leading Omaha by double digits with a few minutes remaining on Sunday, the visiting Mavericks caught up and tied the game with only 30 seconds left. Thankfully for the Falcons, they put the ball in the hands of Green, their 6-foot-7 sophomore forward.

Green caught an entry pass, dribbled against Omaha’s Nick Davis and skirted around him to the left for the go-ahead basket with 11.9 seconds to go. The Falcons stopped the Mavericks on their final possession to clinch a 58-56 win.

“I got in the post and knew I could take that guy,” Green said. “I felt pretty confident. I feel like my ability to get up there is pretty good.”

Green’s late-game heroics were only a part of an outstanding game for him.

He finished the contest with 11 points, five of which were free throws. Green also led the Falcons with nine rebounds and three blocks.

The sophomore’s defense was particularly impressive. Green’s large presence stymied Omaha for much of the game, as Air Force went on a 13-2 run midway through the second half and took a 10-point lead.

“Corbin played well the entire second half,” Air Force coach Joe Scott said. “He’s basically the reason we won the game, on both sides of the floor.” Ethan Taylor led Air Force with 16 points, while Kellan Boylan logged 13.

Boylan scored seven points in the second half on 3-of-5 shooting and helped Air Force’s offense flow. This came after Boylan struggled in the first half, hesitating multiple times before open jump shots.

“It was mostly teammates and coaches screaming at me to shoot the ball,” Boylan said. “They worked with me a lot this summer on my shot and getting my confidence up. It was just being confident in myself.”

Green, Taylor and Boylan’s contributions aside, the Falcons almost blew it.

The Mavericks went on a 9-0 run in a span of one and a half minutes, cutting Air Force’s lead to one with just over two minutes remaining. In a five-minute stretch — which included that 9-0 run — Air Force committed five turnovers.

From there, the teams went back and forth. But Green’s contested basket in the final seconds was enough to give Air Force the win.

“We have to see improvement on the offensive execution side,” Scott said. “If we can add that to the way we’re playing, it will go a long way.”

The Falcons (4-2) are on a threegame winning streak after sweeping the Air Force Classic. Air Force earned wins over Lindenwood and William & Mary before Sunday’s win against the Mavericks.

Air Force returns to Clune Arena on Wednesday, when the Falcons host Virginia Military Institute. And after an strong weekend, they believe they can extend their win streak to four games.

“Our guys have listened and done it on the court and done what we’ve asked them to do,” Scott said. “The whole group has come together. And when you do that, you get better. We have a chance at four in a row, and four is better than three.”

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2023-11-20T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-11-20T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/282218015527858

The Gazette, Colorado Springs