Boulder – Apparently that 41-point loss by Colorado at New Mexico earlier last week was no fluke.
Another Mountain West Conference team had its way with the Buffaloes on Saturday night at Coors Events Center. Air Force’s senior-led lineup schooled Colorado’s freshmen. And CU’s top scoring threat and most experienced player, junior guard Richard Roby, couldn’t get anything done either in an 84-46 blowout by the Falcons.
Perhaps the only silver lining for Colorado was that an announced crowd of only 3,338 fans saw it, with most CU students already away on Thanksgiving break. Those who did attend must wonder if Ricardo Patton’s announced final season as Colorado coach will feel like a long one.
It’s no surprise CU’s youngsters are going through growing pains. But even for the most patient Buffs fans, this was excruciating to watch. Colorado (1-2) took a 4-0 lead and then went scoreless for the next 12 minutes and nine seconds. By the time sophomore transfer Jermyl Jackson-Wilson ended the drought with a one-hander inside, Air Force had put on a backdoor passing clinic with a 22-0 run that included four open 3-pointers.
Settling for too many jumpers and failing to finish the few baseline drives that it could muster, Colorado trailed 35-11 at halftime. That’s the lowest point total for a CU team in the first half since the Buffs managed just four points against Missouri on Jan. 23, 1980 – well before anyone on the present roster had been born.
Air Force didn’t even need a big night from senior forward Jacob Burtschi, who entered the game averaging 19.7 points but concentrated more on assists (five) than points (four).
“Another tough lesson,” Patton said. “I said before the game, Air Force is a top-25 team. We’ve thrown our young guys into the fire early.”
Colorado pulled to within 49-27, but promptly succumbed to another sloppy funk that aided another 22-0 run by the Falcons.
Taking orders from former Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik, Air Force is 4-0 for the first time since starting the 1998-99 season with five victories. A cheering section of blue-clad cadets began chanting “We want Duke” late in the second half, referring to the Falcons’ Monday night game against the 11th-ranked Blue Devils in Kansas City.
With clever passing and backdoor cutters, Air Force players stayed a step ahead, worked the ball around and made it look easy. The Falcons shot 57.1 percent.
“Experience matters – to a point,” Bzdelik said of his seniors.
Roby finished with 3-for-14 shooting and six points. No CU player reached double figures, the first time that’s happened since a 1992 game against Kansas. Air Force junior guard Tim Anderson, the only non-senior in the Falcons’ starting lineup, scored a career-high 24 points. His previous best was 15 points. Senior center Nick Welch added 18 points.
Offensively, Colorado couldn’t find room to operate in Air Force’s 2-3 matchup zone.
Roby said this is no time to panic.
“We still have a lot of games to get better,” he said.
AIR FORCE (4-0)
Burtschi 0-5 2-2 2, Nwaelele 3-6 0-0 9, Welch 6-9 4-6 18, McCraw 3-7 0-1 8, Anderson 8-10 4-5 24, Henke 4-6 1-1 10, Hood 0-0 2-2 2, Teets 0-0 0-0 0, Holland 0-1 0-0 0, Johnson 3-3 1-3 7, Maren 1-2 0-0 3, Frye 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 28-49 15-22 84.
COLORADO (1-2)
Roby 3-14 0-0 6, Jackson-Wilson 4-6 1-2 9, King-Stockton 1-2 0-0 2, Coleman 1-4 1-4 3, Bay 1-7 0-0 2, Inge 1-1 0-1 2, Williams 3-5 0-4 6, Thorne 0-2 1-2 1, Silas 3-10 0-0 8, Perkowski 1-1 2-2 4, Kowal 0-0 3-4 3, Beckley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-53 8-19 46.
Halftime – Air Force 35-11. 3-point goals – Air Force 13-25 (Anderson 4-6, Nwaelele 3-4, McCraw 2-3, Welch 2-4, Maren 1-2, Henke 1-2, Holland 0-1, Burtschi 0-3), Colorado 2-17 (Silas 2-7, Coleman 0-1, Thorne 0-1, Roby 0-4, Bay 0-4). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – Air Force 34 (Nwaelele 6), Colorado 32 (Jackson-Wilson 7). Assists – Air Force 21 (Burtschi 5), Colorado 11 (Bay, Roby 3). Total fouls – Air Force 18, Colorado 22. A – 3,338.
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
