By Aaron Johnson (@voz_aaron1) – Spear Reporter
The game was tied with 1.5 seconds left, SJSU had one inbound play to avoid overtime.
Spartans’ junior guard Myron Amey Jr. got the ball at the three-point line and drained the shot over the Falcons junior guard Jeffrey Mills.
In a SJSU Athletics X video head coach Tim Miles broke down what happened on the final play.
“We decided to go for a shot where we get a slip to the rim or an open three,” Tim Miles said. “Nothing was open, we threw it to MJ (Myron Amey Jr.) and he bailed us out.”
The 70-67 win over Air Force (7-7, 0-2 MW) checked off two major points for the 23-24 season. It was the Spartans (8-9, 1-3 MW) first win in conference play and the first win on the road this season (1-5).
While Amey Jr.’s shot sent the Spartans into a frenzy, the game seemed to be trending in a direction that has been very common for San Jose State this year.
After leading 46-33 at halftime, the Spartans would open up the second half allowing a 9-0 run for the Falcons and eventually surrendering the lead. Despite the win, Air Force outscored San Jose State 34-24 in the second half.
But the Spartans were able to avoid an all too familiar fate with Amey Jr.’s late game heroics.
Amey Jr. was also San Jose State’s leading scorer and leading rebounder on the game with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Junior guard Alvaro Cardenas had a great night as SJSU’s floor general dishing out nine assists and scoring 11 points.
This was a much-needed win for the Spartans as they now end their three-game skid to start off conference play.
The Spartans competed closely in all three of those losses and they were finally able to close out a Mountain West team.
“It’s a weight off your chest, I feel 20 pounds lighter,” Miles said.
San Jose State’s next game will be on the road against Fresno State (7-9, 0-3 MW) on Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.