Colorado State basketball knocks some rust off in win over Air Force at home

FORT COLLINS — Isaiah Stevens scored 15 points arsenic No. 20 Colorado State remained undefeated by shrugging disconnected immoderate rust pursuing a astir month-long layoff owed to COVID-19 concerns and holding disconnected short-handed Air Force 67-59 connected Tuesday night.

The Rams (11-0, 1-0 Mountain West) person captured 11 successful a enactment to lucifer the 1988-89 NCAA Tournament squad for the second-longest winning streak successful schoolhouse history. The apical people was 14 consecutive by the 2014-15 squad.

David Roddy added 13 points and 12 rebounds for Colorado State, which played for the archetypal clip since a 66-63 triumph implicit Mississippi State connected Dec. 11. The Rams had 2 games canceled (Tulsa and Alabama) owed to microorganism concerns wrong the programme and different postponed (New Mexico).

Colorado State was retired of bushed aboriginal connected and fell down 7-0 to a young Air Force squad missing six players — 3 starters — due to the fact that of microorganism protocols, including the team’s starring scorer, A.J. Walker. The Rams went connected a 14-0 tally precocious successful the archetypal fractional to drawback the lead.

But the Falcons (8-5, 1-1) kept it close. They were a a 19 1/2-point underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, but they slowed down the Rams by moving the changeable timepiece to adjacent to zero with their changeless question and screens connected the violative end. Air Force tied it astatine 48 connected a 3-pointer by Carter Murphy with 10:48 remaining.

The turning constituent was a four-point play by John Tonje, which gave the Rams a precocious cushion. Roddy sealed it connected an emphatic dunk with 53.1 seconds remaining.

The Falcons utilized conscionable six players, with Jake Heidbreder — the reigning Mountain West freshman of the week — Camden Vander Zwaag and Ethan Taylor playing each 40 minutes.

Taylor led the Falcons with 19 points. Air Force finished 10 of 21 from 3-point range.

BIG PICTURE

Air Force: The Falcons fell to 4-87 against ranked opponents. Their past triumph implicit a ranked squad was connected March 9, 2013 implicit No. 12 New Mexico. They were looking for their archetypal roadworthy triumph implicit a ranked team.

Colorado State: This triumph should assistance support the streak going — the Rams person been ranked for 4 consecutive weeks successful the AP canvass for the archetypal clip successful programme history.

AROUND THE RIM

Stevens became the 32nd subordinate of Colorado State’s 1,000-point nine for his career. … Air Force shot manager Troy Calhoun sat a fewer rows down the Falcons’ bench. … Colorado State manager Niko Medved improved to 7-0 against Air Force.

UP NEXT

Air Force: Hosts UNLV connected Saturday.

Colorado State: Is scheduled to play astatine Boise State connected Friday. Boise State had its crippled Tuesday astatine Utah State postponed owed to COVID-19 concerns wrong the Broncos’ program.