In college basketball, the road is where teams go for reality checks.
The Air Force men (18-4, 6-3) play tonight at San Diego State with a chance to knock the league-leading Aztecs (15-6, 8-1) down a peg or two in the battle for the Mountain West Conference championship.
Win, and the Falcons are back within a game of the lead and get a huge victory in their bid for a possible NCAA Tournament spot. Lose, and who knows?
AFA coach Jeff Bzdelik admits he doesn’t know what it will take for the Falcons to make the NCAA Tournament, but he knows tonight’s game is huge.
“We could play well and still lose (tonight),” he said. “But if we can just play well the rest of the season, I think we can have five more wins or something like that, and that should get us something.”
He’s more concerned with getting his team to play at its peak.
“If we just focus on playing with energy and with discipline on the offensive end of the floor and the defensive end, when the smoke clears we should be in shape to do something at the end of the season,” Bzdelik said.
San Diego State, the preseason favorite to win the league, has been waiting for the chance to pay the Falcons back for a 65-62 loss at the academy a month ago.
“We’re going to get San Diego State’s best punch,” Bzdelik said. “To me, this is what the end of the season is all about. I love it. I embrace it. Playing passionate games that count that are meaningful.”
San Diego State’s best punch is the 1-2 punch of 6-foot-4 junior guard Brandon Heath, the MWC’s leading scorer at 18.2 points per game, and 6-9 junior forward Marcus Slaughter, the MWC’s leading rebounder (10.7) and No. 2 scorer (17.4).
“Marcus Slaughter is pretty much like a walking double-double,” said Matt McCraw, who made two free throws with four seconds left, then stole a pass to clinch Air Force’s victory in the teams’ first meeting. “We’re going to have to do our best to neutralize those guys by sticking to our defensive principles.
“I’m sure they’ve been waiting for us to come to their place.”
Joseph Sanchez can be reached at 303-820-5458 or jsanchez@denverpost.com.
