LAS VEGAS — An UNLV 23 to 2 run, midway through the first half, was too much to overcome in Air Force's opening round game of the Mountain West Conference tournament on Wednesday.
Air Force would fall to the 7th seeded Runnin' Rebels, 80-52, at the Thomas & Mack Center, marking the end of Joe Scott's first season back with the Falcons (5-20).
The 10th-seeded Falcons were led by junior AJ Walker, who reached 1,000 career point and scored 16 points in the game.
Guard David Jenkins led UNLV with 21 points. Guard Bryce Hamilton scored 18 and forward Cheikh Mbacke Diong added 16 points for the Rebels, who shot 57 percent from the field.
It was the final game forward Ameka Akaya, guard Chris Joyce and forward Keaton Van Soelen, as they will graduate from the Academy this spring.
