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Air Force dominates Colorado College

Dec 9, 2006 - 11:20 PM COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Ticker) -- When forward Jacob Burtschi outscored Colorado College in the first half, you knew things were going well for Air Force.

Burtschi scored 10 points - all before halftime - as No. 23 Air Force held Division III Colorado College to six first-half points in an 82-31 rout.

Adam Hood, Dan Nwaelele and Grant Parker each added nine points for the Falcons, who achieved the highest ranking in program history Monday, entering the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll at No. 23.

Air Force scored the first 30 points of the game, not allowing a point for the first 10:27 before Colorado College's Nate Brodman made a 3-pointer.

The Falcons hit three straight 3-pointers - by Dan Nwaelele, Matt Holland and Burtschi - to make it 30-0 with 9:54 to play in the half.

The Tigers (1-9) added a free throw with 5:51 left in the first half and their only other basket with 2:46 remaining.

Air Force held a 50-6 halftime lead and cruised to its 22nd straight home win, the third-longest streak in the nation behind Gonzaga (44) and Connecticut (25).

The Falcons shot 63 percent (31-of-49) overall from the field, including 69 percent in the first half.

"We addressed sloppy play and losing focus throughout a basketball game," Air Force coach Jeff Bzdelik said.

Lance Jacobs scored 11 points for Colorado College, which shot 26 percent (10-of-39) and has lost eight straight to Air Force in the nine-game series.

In our last two games and our last two losses we allowed teams to shoot 50 percent," Bzdelik said. "Tonight we worked on our defense."