UNLV ousts Air Force from MWC Tourney

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Anthony Bennett poured in a game-high 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and also pulled down seven rebounds to lead UNLV to a 72-56 win over Air Force in a quarterfinal matchup of the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

Bryce Dejean-Jones scored 12 points and Anthony Marshall added 11 for the third-seeded Rebels (24-8), who will face Colorado State on Friday.

Kyle Green and Marek Olesinski finished with 13 points apiece for the Falcons (17-13), who lost leading scorer and first team All-MWC selection Michael Lyons to an apparent knee injury just minutes into the game.

The senior guard banged knees with Dejean-Jones and remained on the floor for several minutes before he was helped to the locker room.

Lyons was averaging 18.3 points per game entering the contest.

Air Force pulled within 9-7 five minutes in following Taylor Broekhuis' jumper, but UNLV used a 17-3 run to go up 26-10 with 6:22 left in the first half and took a 33-20 lead into the break.

The Falcons couldn't get closer than nine points down in the second half as the Rebels cruised to their sixth win in seven games.