AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Jeff Reynolds and Tim Miles get their first experience as head coaches of one of the Front Range’s most interesting college basketball rivalries tonight at Clune Arena.
As Miles was bringing his Colorado State Rams down Interstate 25 on Monday, he called his first visit to Air Force’s arena the beginning of an exciting week, which includes a Saturday game in Laramie against Wyoming.
“There’s an exciting local flavor to any of these Front Range games,” said Miles, who left North Dakota State to coach the Rams. “We’ve already played the University of Denver, Northern Colorado and Colorado.”
Reynolds, an assistant coach at Air Force the past two years before being promoted to replace Jeff Bzdelik, is more familiar with the AFA-CSU rivalry. He also has had exposure to the other Front Range rivalries.
“We each have a couple of players who have been involved before,” Reynolds said. “Our team is a little down after losing in The Pit to New Mexico, but we’re glad to get back home.”
The Falcons (10-7, 2-2 Mountain West Conference) lost Saturday to the Lobos 59-44 but are 2-1 against Front Range Division I teams, beating Northern Colorado (71-62) and Wyoming (64-62 in overtime) and losing to Colorado (60-50). The Rams (6-11, 0-3) are 1-2 against Front Range teams, beating DU (44-40) and losing to UNC (72-59) and CU (73-70).
Four years ago, CSU upset the MWC champion Falcons in the first round of the conference tournament, winning 60-48 after Air Force had won 22 games in the regular season. But the Falcons have won the past six meetings with the Rams, including a 63-59 victory in Fort Collins two years ago. Dale Layer, CSU’s coach at the time, was accidentally run over by Air Force star Jacob Burtschi when Layer was on the court complaining to officials.
“We’re a young team that has made some strides,” Reynolds said. “But on any given night in this league, there isn’t a team that can’t come in and beat you.”
Irv Moss: 303 954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
