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Clune Arena, Air Force await BYU in key MWC battle |
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JaredLloyd | Monday, February 26, 2007, 11:27 pm
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Jason Franchuk
DAILY HERALD
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Air Force is proof that it’s more about players than fans when determining how to credit home-court success.
Seriously, who was talking about how the advantage of Clune Arena even five years ago?
No one.
But people have been the past three years, and a 7 p.m. tipoff with BYU may be the Mountain West Conference’s best game this year when the teams play tonight.
The only thing missing will be a ranking from the Cougars. After entering the Top 25 of both major polls last Monday, that distinction was stripped Monday when this week’s versions were announced. Saturday’s loss at San Diego State, which included a 30-7 deficit 10 minutes in, was enough for some voters to forget about ’em.
The obvious joke is that Duke or another major name could’ve lost such a game, but wouldn’t have been bumped so hard.
And there are much less petty issues to be concerned about.
Both teams are trying to avoid lengthened losing streaks.
Air Force has a long winning streak at home, same as BYU at 30 consecutive games.
“They get a good crowd, and the fans are really close and involved in the game,” said BYU head coach Dave Rose. “It’s an interesting situation to have your last road trip in your league be against two of the best home teams in the league. We have a real challenge.”
The other major test will be handling Air Force’s emotional pitch. It’s senior night there, with four senior starters set to play their last home game. For where this program was upon the group’s arrival, it’s a class that will never be forgotten at the academy.
Whether success follows in future years remains to be seen, but it’s been evident in attendance that the community has cherished this group. It’s nearly a sellout most nights during conference play in an arena that seats a little less than 6,000 fans.
TCU coach Neil Dougherty, a former West Point man, gives some credit to the school’s allowance for the student body to bypass formal military wear for typical civilian wear (sometimes the male fans are shirtless).
“It lets them let loose and be typical college kids for a few hours,” Dougherty said.
The cadets have really gotten to party down when watching their team play the Cougars — BYU has lost the last three games at Air Force. It has lost the last two at Clune Arena by getting worked early. Two years ago, the Cougars gave up the first 19 points and last year a 10-1 deficit to start signaled early doom.
“Air Force is very efficient offensively, and they don’t waste a lot of possessions,” Rose said. “They’ve shot the ball extremely well in Clune Arena. This will be the last home game for their group of seniors, so there will be a lot of emotion in the building. Our game at San Diego State hopefully prepared us for what we’re in for.”
Air Force has to feel a little vulnerable these days. The Falcons have lost their last two games, both on the road to second-place UNLV and last-place TCU. They were in the top 15 of both polls, but slipped to 20th in the coaches version and 25th in the AP.
BYU is listed 29th in this week’s coaches Top 25 and 30th in the AP poll. BYU entered the national rankings last week for the first time since 1993 as the Cougars were ranked No. 21 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 22 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll.
In 2005, it lost 70-39, an MWC record for offensive futility. Sam Burgess, then a sophomore, led BYU with nine points as the team shot 28 percent (14-for-50) from the field.
Now Burgess, still a junior because of a redshirt year, and a host of seniors are fighting for an MWC regular-season title. The Cougars have a one-game lead on UNLV and 1 1/2-game edge of Air Force, with only a home game remaining Saturday against Utah. |
