BIMINI, Bahamas – The South Dakota men's basketball team erased a 14-point deficit in the second half but could not overcome Air Force in a 65-62 loss at the Bimini Jam Sunday at Gateway Christian Academy.
 
Trey Burch-Manning scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. Twelve of those points came in a 17-5 Coyote run, as USD knotted the game at 57. The senior started the run with an old-fashioned 3-point play and added back-to-back layups.
 
After Sid Tomes sank a 3-point basket for the Falcons, Burch-Manning hit a jumper and his own long-range shot to pull the Coyotes within one point at 55-54. Air Force (2-2) then hit a pair of free throws to push the lead back to three points. However, Triston Simpson answered when he scored a wide-open trey to knot the game at 57 with 6:10 remaining in the game.
 
South Dakota (2-2) could not get over the final hump, including chances to take the lead on a 3-point basket with four seconds remaining and an opportunity to tie the game as the clock expired.
 
Burch-Manning totaled his 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting and added four rebounds and a steal. Simpson tallied 15 points while Brandon Armstrong scored 13 points. The Coyotes rebounded to shoot 51.6 percent from the field in the second half after hitting just 5-of-26 shots in the first half for 19.2 percent.
 
Lavelle Scottie led Air Force with 15 points while shooting 61.5 percent from the field on 24-of-40 made baskets.
 
The Coyotes forced the Falcons into 22 turnovers while committing just nine turnovers themselves. Simpson had a career-best four steals as part of the 22 forced turnovers.
 
South Dakota closes action at the Bimini Jam Monday against UMBC. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. (CST) from Bimini, Bahamas.