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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- After nearly falling behind by four with 32 seconds left, Air Force got a big break.
Two big breaks, actually.
The Falcons got a 3-pointer from Jacob Burtschi after Utah blew a chance to seal it from the free throw line with 32 seconds left, then the Falcons held on for a 52-51 win when the Utes forced a shot in the final seconds.
Burtschi's 3-pointer with 19 seconds left won it. He finished with 18 points, making half of the Falcons' eight 3-pointers, and Air Force (21-5, 9-4 Mountain West) took advantage after Utah had a chance to go up by four with 32 seconds remaining.
"They're very resilient. They just keep battling," Air Force coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "We call it wire-to-wire. Just keep battling."
The Utes (12-12, 5-8) led 51-49 on Luke Nevill's three-point play with 52.8 seconds left and Shawn Green drew a foul after pulling down a defensive rebound. But Green missed on his free throw in a one-and-one opportunity with 32.7 seconds left and the Falcons got the ball back.
Air Force found Burtschi, who had given the Falcons a 49-48 lead with 1:09 left, and Burtschi hit a shot from a few feet in front of the Air Force bench.
"I knew it was down to me. I tried to zone everything out and let it fly," Burtschi said.
Utah called time out and had plenty of time for a final play, but Johnnie Bryant's fadeaway jumper was short and Air Force got the ball back with 1 second left. The Falcons just had to inbound the ball to run out the clock and sweep the Utes this season.
Utah coach Ray Giacoletti said Utah's inconsistent defense -- not just on the final play -- was the difference.
"A missed free throw or not making the extra pass at the end didn't cost us the game," Giacoletti said. "It was we're not able to get stops at the other end
Air Force won its third straight and stayed in second place in the Mountain West standings by going 8-for-20 from 3-point range. Burtschi was 4-for-7 from beyond the arc and John Frye finished with 17 points, making three 3s.
"Utah started getting a lot of momentum going and the crowd started getting into it, so it was a real tough stretch but we pulled it out," Frye said.
The Falcons close the season with home games against New Mexico and UNLV next week after winning their last two on the road.
Air Force also won despite getting just eight points from Antoine Hood, who averages 14.6, and three points from Dan Nwaelele, nine below his average.
"We were only on half our cylinders tonight. Fortunately, Jacob and John were going," Bzdelik said.
Utah honored Andrew Bogut, the national player of the year last season, by retiring his No. 4 jersey in a halftime ceremony. Bogut sat behind the Utah bench in a suit and tie and cheered on his former teammates, who trailed most of the game before taking a few leads near the end.
Nevill, a fellow Australian who spent last season redshirting and taking a beating from Bogut during practice, had a career-high 21 points and eight rebounds. Bryant finished with nine points.
