Air Force Academy – If Air Force coach Jeff Bzdelik was hoping for a fast start to the 2006-07 basketball season, he got it Friday night as the Falcons scored the first 16 points of the game at Clune Arena.
With the burst out of the starting blocks the key, the Falcons raced to an 81-45 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluffs, the big lead allowing Bzdelik to empty his bench. After the early lead, Air Force continued to pull away to a game-high 36-point lead on Adam Hood’s free throw with 37 seconds left in the game. The Falcons shot 66.7 percent from the floor in the second half and finished with a strong 56.9 percent from the game.
Forward Jacob Burtschi and guard Tim Anderson each scored 13 points to lead the Falcons as four of the five starters reached double figures. Center Nick Welch, who missed all of last season with foot and ankle injuries, scored 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds in 23 minutes of playing time.
Burtschi’s three 3-pointers led the way from outside as the Falcons hit 9-of-17 shots from outside the arc. Air Force’s offense was effective in collecting 18 assists.
“They were the sixth-best defensive team in the country last year,” Bzdelik said of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. “They got to their conference championship finals. I liked this type game, to get some rust off. … I wanted to see their kind of pressure. This was a good game to learn from and grow from.”
On occasion, the Golden Lions were effective with a pressing defense. Air Force contributed 13 turnovers.
The visitors failed to convert any of their first 11 times down the floor. A layup by Terrance Calvin with 12:35 left in the first half got the Golden Lions on the scoreboard.
Air Force plays next in the College Basketball Experience Classic, facing Long Beach State Tuesday at Stanford.
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
