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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- BYU's Trent Plaisted scored four of his game-high 21 points during a 7-0 Cougar run in the final 1:45 to hand the Cougars a 65-59 win over Air Force Saturday.
Dan Nwaelele hit a 3-pointer for Air Force (18-4, 6-3 Mountain West) with 1:45 remaining to score the Falcons' final points.
Plaisted's basket with 1:12 gave BYU (14-6, 6-3) a 60-59 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The Falcons turned the ball over with 44 seconds left and were forced to foul to get it back. Rashaun Broadus hit one of two free throws to give the Cougars a two point advantage, but Matt McCraw's 3-point try bounced off the rim.
Plaisted got the rebound and was fouled with 17 seconds left and converted both free throws to give the Cougars a 63-59 lead.
Antoine Hood's desperation shot missed, and Jimmy Balderson was fouled and hit both free throws with less than 8 seconds left to give the Cougars the victory.
After BYU scored the first basket of the second half to take a 31-29 lead, Air Force ran off nine straight points to capture a 38-31 advantage. The Falcons' next basket, a 3-pointer by Jacob Burtschi, gave them their largest lead of the game at 41-33.
The Cougars responded with a 10-2 run to pull even at 43-43 with 10:35 remaining.
In the first half, Air Force didn't score from the field until John Frye's tip-in with 13:20 left in the half pulled the Falcons within three, 6-3.
Air Force trailed most of the first half until going on an 8-0 run capped by Nwaelele's basket with 4:46 remaining. The run gave the Falcons a 21-18 lead.
The game was tied at half, 29-29, after Rashaun Broadus' steal and lay-up with two seconds on the clock.
Balderson and Broadus also scored in double figures for the Cougars with 17 and 13 respectively.
Hood led the Falcons with 18, while McCraw added 17 and Nwaelele 11.
Plaisted had a game-high nine rebounds.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
