AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant opening salvo, the Grand Canyon Antelopes seized control from the opening tip and never relented, cruising to an 86-60 victory over the Air Force Falcons in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Tuesday night at Clune Arena.

The Antelopes, improving to 18-11, delivered a first-half defensive clinic, holding the Falcons to just 24 points on 19% shooting from the field before halftime. That stifling effort built a 19-point lead by intermission and effectively decided the contest long before the final buzzer sounded before an announced crowd of 2,002.

Grand Canyon’s offensive execution matched its defensive intensity, particularly in the early going. The Antelopes opened the game on a 14-2 run, sparked by a Makaih Williams 3-pointer on the first possession. The Falcons, who fell to 3-27, struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Grand Canyon’s length and activity, committing 12 turnovers that led to 15 Antelope points.

The most important sequence of the game encapsulated the night’s theme and occurred in the first half’s opening minutes. After Air Force’s Wesley Celichowski scored the Falcons’ first basket, Grand Canyon responded with a relentless 12-0 burst. The run featured inside scores from Jaden Henley and Efe Demirel, a tip-in by Williams, and was punctuated by a Dennis Evans blocked shot that led to a transition layup for Dusty Stromer. This stretch pushed the lead to 16-2 and forced an Air Force timeout less than five minutes into the game, with the Falcons already reeling.

Grand Canyon’s balanced attack proved overwhelming. Five Antelopes scored in double figures, led by Henley’s 17 points in 25 minutes. Williams added 14 points, while Brian Moore and Stromer each contributed 12. Evans, the 7-foot-1 center from Riverside, California, provided a significant interior presence with 10 points and three blocked shots in just 20 minutes of action.

Air Force, which shot just 42.2% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range for the game, was led by Kam Sanders. The guard from Albany, Georgia, scored 18 points and dished out five assists, battling throughout. Lucas Hobin added 11 points for the Falcons, who showed more fight after halftime, scoring 36 points, but the deficit was far too large to overcome.

Statistically, the Antelopes’ efficiency told the story. They shot 56.4% from the floor, assisted on 21 of their 31 made field goals, and posted an offensive rating of 122.9 points per 100 possessions. Air Force managed an offensive rating of just 86.5. Grand Canyon also won the rebounding battle and capitalized at the free-throw line, making 15 of 21 attempts.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Grand Canyon, which defeated Air Force 81-57 in Phoenix on Feb. 3. The Antelopes have now won four of their last six games as they prepare to close the regular season at home against Fresno State on Saturday.

Air Force, mired in a difficult season, will conclude its schedule on the road at Nevada, also on Saturday. The Falcons have lost 10 consecutive games and 22 of their last 23.

The game’s outcome was never in doubt after the initial surge, playing out largely as expected by oddsmakers. Grand Canyon entered as a 19.5-point favorite, and the combined score of 146 fell well under the posted over/under of 139. The Antelopes’ wire-to-wire performance, keyed by a devastating opening run, ensured there would be no drama on this night in the Rocky Mountains.