Air Force men’s basketball lost to Navy 61-56 in a Service Academy matchup at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Maryland, on Sunday. The Falcons now hold a 3-7 record for the season, while Navy moves to 5-5.
Freshman guard Kam Sanders led Air Force with 15 points. He made four field goals, including two three-pointers, and went 5-for-7 from the free throw line. Junior forward Caleb Walker contributed 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, though his streak of 16 consecutive made field goals ended during the game. Freshman forward Lucas Hobin added 10 points and set a career high with seven rebounds. Freshman guard Justin Hinds also recorded career highs with eight points and six rebounds.
The first half was closely contested, featuring 11 lead changes before Air Force took a narrow 25-24 lead into halftime. The Falcons appeared to gain control after a 7-0 run put them ahead by nine points early in the second half. However, Navy responded strongly as guard Austin Benigni scored 13 straight points for the Midshipmen, shifting momentum and giving Navy a lead they would not relinquish.
Benigni finished with a game-high 23 points—21 of which came in the second half—while Aidan Kehoe and Jinwoo Kim each added 10 points for Navy. Kehoe also collected a double-double with 15 rebounds.
Both teams shot an identical percentage from the field at just under forty percent. Navy held an advantage at the free throw line, making six more than Air Force.
Air Force will be off next week due to finals and is scheduled to return to play on Wednesday, December 17th against San Diego State in their Mountain West opener. The game is set for an 8 p.m. PT tip-off and will be televised by CBS Sports.
