Air Force at Wyoming preview
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
1. THE PACE OF THE GAME
Wyoming is scoring 80.7 points per game, which leads the Mountain West Conference, and allowing a league-worst 76.5 points per game. Air Force cannot afford to get into a run-and-gun shootout with the Cowboys, who have four players who score 15.0 or more points per game. "This year it might be a little bit of a challenge for us to (control the tempo) because they are very explosive," Air Force coach Jeff Reynolds said of the Cowboys.
2. WYOMING G BRANDON EWING
The senior four-year starter is leading the MWC in scoring (18.5 points per game) and assists (5.1). "I think last year he was going through that transitional stage with the new coaching staff, and I think this year you're seeing him what I call spread the wealth,'" Reynolds said. "I know in watching the game on Saturday against (Colorado State), he had every single player involved."
3. AIR FORCE G ANWAR JOHNSON
The Falcons' starting point guard and leading scorer (13.6 per game) has not practiced since prior to Air Force's Jan. 14 game against Utah, when he re-aggravated a right foot injury he had suffered earlier in the season. Johnson has been playing in games and, during the days between, riding an exercise bike and doing exercises in a pool to stay in shape. "It's hard because I'm not up to speed with the rest of the players in terms of going through the opposition's plays and defenses," Johnson said. "It's hard to adjust to."
QUOTE TO NOTE
"The scary thing is is that they've had a week to prepare for us. And we've had about a day and a half to try to incorporate a game plan ag ainst them, which is not very easy." - Wyoming coach Heath Schroyer on the Falcons.
NOTE TO QUOTE
It's almost always been an instant classic when the Falcons and Cowboys have met, as 15 of the teams' past 17 meetings have been decided by seven points or less, including eight by three or less. Air Force has won its past two games at Wyoming's Arena-Auditorium on last-second layups - in 2007 by Jacob Burtschi and last season by Eric Kenzik.
