Falcons get break, hope it's enough/ Utah without No. 3 scorer, top

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 13, 2003 | by TIM MIMICK

LAS VEGAS - Getting breaks at this time in the basketball season can mean the difference between going home for good to muttering about miserable fate or advancing to the next round.

Air Force got one of those breaks before it will tip off tonight against Utah in the EAS Mountain West Conference Tournament. Utah senior forward Britton Johnsen, one of the league's top players, was ruled out of action for at least this week with infectious mononucleosis.

Doctors decided he should stay home in Salt Lake City.

It just might help eighth-seeded Air Force (12-15) break a 10- game losing streak in conference postseason games dating to its Western Athletic Conference membership. The Falcons could use the boost to stop co-league regular-season champion Utah (23-6), which will go the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens tonight.

"I feel bad for the kid and I hope he'll be back next week for the NCAA Tournament," Air Force coach Joe Scott said. "Is it a break for us? We'll see. He's a good player, but it comes down to how we guard them. (Bryant) Markson and (Richard) Chaney have been the ones who hurt us.

"We better not worry about if it's good or bad for us. He (Johnsen) is a big body who can go inside and score in a number of ways. We'll see how it goes."

Johnsen, a 6-foot-10, 210-pounder, was a 2003 Mountain West second- team selection after earning the conference's player of the year award last season.

He is third on the team in scoring (19 th in the Mountain West) at 11.6 points per game. He's the Utes' top rebounder (fifth in the league) at 6.7 per game.

His place in the starting lineup will be taken by Chaney, a 6-4 freshman who averages 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds.

In the win over Air Force this season at Salt Lake City, Johnsen had six points and eight rebounds in 34 minutes. Ten days ago in Clune Arena in Utah's 57-52 victory, he had six points and one rebound in 24 minutes.

The loss of the lanky Johnsen might be the final piece to knocking off top-seeded Utah. The Falcons are 39-7 all-time against Utah with four losses in a row. Most of the games lately have been close, but someone like Johnsen would make a play or two to maintain the Utes' dominance.

To pull the upset, Air Force will depend on sophomore guard Tim Keller. An all-league third-team pick, Keller leads the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game with the 3-pointer shot his forte. He's tied for first in the Mountain West for 3-point percentage (45.6). Keller also is deadly at the foul line with 14 consecutive makes to inflate his percentage to 83.5.

With the UNLV-San Diego State matchup right after this game, the early arriving Runnin' Rebels fans - perhaps 10,000 - assuredly will stomp and holler for the Falcons to oust Utah. While Air Force hasn't won a conference tournament game since shocking top-seeded Colorado State in 1990, Utah is 3-0 in the Mountain West first round. However, the Utes are 0-3 in the Mountain West semifinals.

"Maybe we just focus more because it's Utah, but we try to go after everyone the same way," senior co-captain Tom Bellairs said. "Yeah, it might be my last game, but we just have to go out there and play like it's just another game. All things got to come to an end."

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0365 or tmim@gazette.com

GAMES TODAY

No. 8 Air Force (12-15) vs. No. 1 Utah (23-6), 7 p.m., Fox -

Utah swept the home-and-series, but not by much. Air Force led late in Salt Lake City but lost 45-35. In Clune Arena last week, Utah won 57-52. The teams almost always play low-scoring, tight games, although the Utes have won four in a row. Air Force leads the nation in scoring defense at 57.6 points per game. Utah is second in the Mountain West in scoring defense at 60.6. Air Force ended a five- game skid Saturday with a 68-60 win over New Mexico. Utah lost two of its past four games after a nine-game winning streak.

No. 4 UNLV (19-9) vs. No. 5 San Diego State (15-12), 10 p.m.

- UNLV swept the season series, 79-64 and 83-72. The Runnin' Rebels probably need to win twice to solidify their NCAA Tournament hopes. Marcus Banks (20.5 points per game and a league-leading 5.5- assist average) and Dalron Johnson (15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds) are the ringleaders for UNLV. The Aztecs have a potent trio in Tony Bland, Mike Mackell and prize freshman Evan Burns. "Since that Colorado State game (a 90-57 win Feb. 3), UNLV has played as well as anybody in the league - and not just against us," Aztecs coach Steve Fisher said. As the fifth seed, the Aztecs won the 2002 league tournament. The Rebels haven't won it since 2000.

No. 2 Brigham Young (22-7) vs. No. 7 New Mexico (10-17), 1 p.m.

- BYU swept the season series 80-64 and 91-81. New Mexico always has hope because of the nation's leading scorer and 2003 Mountain West Player of the Year, Ruben Douglas (28.3 points). "You can't stop Ruben Douglas," BYU coach Steve Cleveland said. "I can't argue with Ruben being the player of the year. Travis (Hansen) is our most valuable player. He's our best defensive player. He hits shots." As the No. 2 seed, BYU won the 2001 Mountain West Tournament.