Patient Falcons await Rebels

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Jan. 31, 2005 | 9:48 a.m.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Tonight in the shadow of Pikes Peak, the UNLV men's basketball team finds itself with a mountainous task.

The Rebels (9-8, 2-3) will try to snap the 23-game home winning streak of defending Mountain West Conference champion Air Force (13-7, 4-1) at Clune Arena.

The Falcons own the second-longest home winning streak in the nation behind only Oklahoma State (25 games). They haven't lost at home in their noisy and cozy bandbox of a gym in almost two years, dating to a 57-52 loss to Utah on March 3, 2003.

"It's a tough place to play," UNLV senior forward Odartey Blankson said. "We just have to go in there, try to stick together and try to come away with a win."

Air Force, which leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 52.5 points per game, plays tough, swarming defense. The Falcons also wear teams down with their Princeton-style offense, often waiting until the final seconds of the 35-second shot clock before converting a backdoor layup or a 3-pointer.

"It's extremely difficult (to defend)," UNLV coach Lon Kruger said. "They have a lot of confidence in what they do. They're real, real tough at home. It's tough to guard them."

Center Louis Amundson added: "Every possession they wait to the very last second (to shoot), so you've got to be ready the whole time."

UNLV, meanwhile, reverted to its old impatient offensive ways in a sloppy 62-58 loss Saturday night at New Mexico, attempting 12 3-pointers (and making four) in the first half alone. The Rebels defense also broke down at several key junctures, especially when it came to rebounding down the stretch in what was a winnable road game.

"That's usually our downfall when we shoot too many 3s and don't throw the ball inside-out," Blankson said. "Those quick shots, you just don't get a chance to rebound the ball."

If ever there is a game to be patient and try to work the ball inside, tonight's game is it for the Rebels.

Air Force, which doesn't start a player taller than 6-foot-8 center Nick Welch, has struggled against opposing big men this season.

Utah's Andrew Bogut was 11-of-12 from the floor en route to 25 points in the Utes' 63-51 victory over the Falcons last week in Salt Lake City. Utah shot 80 percent (24 of 30) from the floor, which tied the Utes for the sixth-best performance in NCAA history.

Colorado State center Matt Nelson was 9-of-10 from the floor and scored 21 points against the Falcons. But the Rams turned the ball over 22 times and came up on the short end of a 58-53 decision.

Even 6-foot-9 New Mexico center David Chiotti, bad hip and all, was 8-of-8 from the floor against Air Force and scored 17 points as the Danny Granger-less Lobos shot 69 percent from the field. But the Falcons still managed to pull out a 64-62 victory.

Air Force, which ranks last in field goal defense (49.3 percent) and rebounding (minus 11.2 in MWC play), has managed to overcome its shortcomings by averaging just nine turnovers per game compared to an average of 18 by their opponents. The Falcons have also come up with 57 steals in five conference games and are on pace to shatter the conference record of 144 steals set by UNLV in the 2001-02 season.

"A lot of programs talk about rebounds and defensive shooting percentage," Air Force coach Chris Mooney said. "Thank God, we don't."

Meanwhile, UNLV stumbles into Clune Arena tonight after committing 22 turnovers two nights earlier in Albuquerque. The Lobos also had 12 steals.

"We didn't take very good care of the ball," Kruger said. "On the road it is especially critical that you take care of it. ... We've got to handle it better."