The Air Force Falcons are often forgotten about and overlooked compared to the other service academics, especially on the basketball court. But just because cheap Air Force tickets are usually available in abundance doesn’t mean the Falcons aren’t worth checking out on the hardwood. They have several notable alumni, including longtime San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. The Falcons also play in the Mountain West, a strong mid-major conference. With a recent uptick in performance after the turn of the century, last-minute Air Force basketball tickets are now more in demand than ever, with the Falcons being worth checking out.

It Happened Twice

Granted, Air Force basketball history isn’t filled with memorable moments, but there have been some triumphs. The Falcons reached the NCAA Tournament in both 1960 and 1962, the first two appearances in program history. During that era, only 25 teams played in the tournament, meaning Air Force could be considered among the top programs in the country despite the Falcons losing close games in each appearance.

Great Scott

At the turn of the century, Air Force basketball started to show genuine signs of improvement under head coach Joe Scott. After taking over in 2000, Scott turned the Falcons into an NCAA Tournament team by 2004, winning the Mountain West regular season title and earning an at-large bid to the Big Dance. While Scott left after that season, the Falcons returned to the NCAA Tournament two years later and have continued to pop up in postseason tournaments, going to the NIT semifinals in 2007 and playing in the CIT in both 2011 and 2013. After stints at Princeton and Denver, Scott then returned to Air Force in 2020 with the hopes of rebuilding the Falcons into a consistent program.