THE GOOD:

1) Since Tim Anderson’s departure after the 2007-2008 season, the Falcons have lacked a star. There’s been no player to lead the way, no player to rise up when the team is falling apart.

Michael Lyons showed signs Wednesday night of being that star. He scored 18 points in the second half and basically willed Air Force to a victory.

With 7:39 left, the Falcons trailed by one, 57-56, and looked ready to march to their 32nd loss in 33 Mountain West games. Then Lyons hit a heavily-guarded, off-balance 3-pointer an instant before the shot clock ran out. It was a big shot in a night of big Lyons shots.

One other important Lyons moment:

Air Force’s Shawn Hempsey got into a brief second-half scuffle with Utah’s Jay Watkins. If the scuffle had escalated, I don’t believe it would have ended happily for Hempsey.

Lyons quickly and expertly pulled Watkins away from Hempsey. Lyons brought calm to the fire. It was another glimpse at his potential as a leader.

2) Jeff Reynolds often spends far too much time yelling at refs. This is, to be fair, a trait he shares with virtually every other basketball coach in America.

On Wednesday, Reynolds declined to waste his time moaning to the refs about calls and instead focused his energy on directing his team. This was the most mature and effective coaching effort I’ve seen from Reynolds.

3) Taylor Broekhuis is a legit 3-point threat, which is huge. That means he will pull big men out of the lane to cover him.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD:

1) The lane was an extremely friendly destination for Utah shooters. When Utah players drove into the lane, they often were surprised to find virtually – and at times maybe even literally – no opposition.

2) The 3-point line was an extremely friendly destination for Utah shooters. Utah shot 13-of-24 from outside the arc and most of the shots were of the wide-open variety.

3) Starters Todd Fletcher and Evan Washington scored eight points in 65 minutes. Washington delivered a superb gamewith eight rebounds and 11  assists, but Fletcher and Washington must show  more offensive might to ease the burden on Lyons. Defenses will soon be surrounding Lyons, and he will need help.

4) Reynolds didn’t complain to the refs, but then again: Reynolds had little to complain about. The Falcons shot 20 free throws. Utah shot three. This was not a great night for the refs. When Lyons dunked with 1:47 left to give Air Force a one-point lead, refs called a foul on Utah’s Will Clyburn. “Terrible call,” said Gazetteer Frank Schwab immediately after the whistle. Frank was absolutely correct. Replays showed Clyburn literally did not touch Lyons.

Air Force enjoyed a huge advantage at the line and still struggled mightily to win.

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