AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Tim Anderson scored 19 points, and Air Force overcame a lackluster first-half shooting performance to defeat Norfolk State 65-53 on Thursday night.
Leading 20-17 at halftime, Air Force (7-4) began pulling away early in the second half.
Anderson and Evan Washington hit consecutive 3-pointers to give the Falcons a 12-point lead, and Anwar Johnson extended that to 13 with a free throw. Norfolk State (2-6) cut the margin to seven behind 3-pointers by Jeremy Banks and Raphael Hall, but the Spartans could get no closer.
Though Norfolk State began finding the mark later in the half, Air Force scored 14 points on free throws down the stretch to maintain a double-digit margin.
Johnson finished with 12 points, Washington had 11 and Keith Maren added 10.
Corey Lyons led Norfolk State in scoring with 19 points. Tony Murphy added 10.
Air Force hit 7-of-21 field-goal attempts, including only 1-of-9 from 3-point range, in the first half.
Norfolk State shot 26 percent from the field in the first half, hitting 7-of-27 attempts.
