BERKELEY, Calif. — Robin Smeulders scored on a three-point play with 33.1 seconds remaining, and Portland rallied to beat Air Force 43-42 in the first round of the Golden Bear Classic on Saturday.
Smeulders missed his first seven shot attempts before scoring inside against the Falcons and drawing a foul against Mike McLain.
The Pilots’ second-leading scorer then sank the go-ahead free throw to give Portland its first lead of the second half.
Air Force had two shots in the final 15 seconds but couldn’t convert and had its five-game win streak snapped.
T.J. Campbell scored 10 points to pace Portland, which will play host California in the tournament championship game today. Luke Sikma added seven points and a season-high 13 rebounds for the Pilots (7-5), while Smeulders finished with six points and eight rebounds.
Grant Parker had 12 points to lead Air Force (8-3), and Andrew Henke and Anwar Johnson each added 10 points for the Falcons.
Both teams shot below 30 percent for the game and went a combined 24-of-85 from the floor, including 8-of-40 from 3-point range. Neither team had a fast-break basket, either.
Portland’s 43 points matched the tournament’s previous record for lowest points scored by a losing team, a mark now held by Air Force.
The offensive problems started early for both teams and continued throughout the game.
Air Force missed 11 of its first 14 shots from the floor, went 0-for-12 over the final 13:08, and scored more points from the free-throw line (10) than it did from the floor. Portland wasn’t much better, going 6-of-25 with seven turnovers and only one basket in the final seven minutes.
The Pilots held a one-point lead late before a pair of free throws from Air Force’s Henke gave the Falcons a 18-17 lead at halftime.
Air Force opened the second half with an 11-1 run to open a 29-18 lead, but Portland inched its way back when the Falcons went through another scoring drought.
Sikma scored on an offensive rebound with 2:41 left to pull the Pilots within 42-40, before Smeulders’ three-point play put Portland ahead for good.
AIR FORCE (8-3)
Henke 1-7 7-8 10, Holland 2-8 0-0 5, McLain 1-2 1-2 3, Washington 1-5 0-0 2, Johnson 3-8 3-5 10, Noonan 0-1 0-0 0, Stewart 0-1 0-0 0, Merriex 0-2 0-0 0, Parker 2-2 7-8 12. Totals 10-36 18-23 42.
PORTLAND (7-5)
Smeulders 1-8 4-5 6, Raivio 2-12 3-4 7, Sikma 3-4 1-4 7, Stohl 2-12 0-0 5, Campbell 3-7 3-4 10, Niedermeyer 3-4 0-0 8, Ito 0-2 0-0 0, Porter 0-0 0-0 0, Hannibal 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-49 11-17 43.
Halftime — Air Force 18-17. 3-point goals — Air Force 4-16 (Parker 1-1, Johnson 1-1, Henke 1-6, Holland 1-6, Washington 0-2), Portland 4-24 (Niedermeyer 2-2, Campbell 1-3, Stohl 1-11, Ito 0-2, Raivio 0-6). Fouled out — McLain, Niedermeyer. Rebounds — Air Force 29 (Washington 6), Portland 33 (Sikma 13). Assists — Air Force 6 (Henke 4), Portland 9 (Campbell 3). Total fouls — Air Force 18, Portland 20. A — 7,525.
