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BYU holds off Air Force to continue home success

Jan 28, 2007 - 1:40 AM PROVO, Utah (Ticker) -- Trent Plaisted continued Air Force's inability to break through at the Marriott Center.

Plaisted scored 22 points, including four during a crucial game-ending run, as Brigham Young captured a 61-52 victory over the 13th-ranked Falcons in a Mountain West Conference contest.

Keena Young had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars (15-6, 5-2 MWC), who won here for the 15th time in the last 16 meetings and improved to 23-4 in the all-time series.

Holding the top shooting team in the conference to 36 percent (8-of-22) in the first half, BYU built a 31-21 lead. Plaisted scored nine points and Young added eight in the opening 20 minutes.

That lead held up until Air Force (19-3, 6-2) closed to 49-48 with 5:49 remaining behind six straight points by Nick Welch.

Plaisted, who finished 9-of-12 from the field, answered back with a layup almost 1 1/2 minutes later and Austin Ainge's 3-pointer put the Cougars ahead, 54-48.

Two free throws by Matt McCraw drew the Falcons within 54-51 with 45 seconds to play, but Plaisted converted a pair at the line as BYU closed the contest with a 12-2 run.

McCraw scored 14 points and Welch and Dan Nwaelele both scored 13 points each for Air Force, which finished 37.8 percent (17-of-45) from the field in falling to 3-2 in true road games this season.