Frustrating Falcons

Utah played Air Force on the hardwood yesterday and ended up beating them 58-36. While the final margin of victory was pretty large, Utah didn't pull away until the end of the game. Air Force is one of those teams that just rubs me the wrong way. Pretty much, Air Force is to Tyler as the Spurs are to Alison (1,2).

Utah had a hard time getting points from inside the 3-point line. In the first half, their only points came from the free throw line or from behind the arc (all courtesy of Johnny Bryant, going 5-5 in the half - but they did have 5 assists on those 5 buckets). Their first 2-point bucket came 4 minutes into the second half.

What was really bothering me was the flopping (remember how I hate flopping?) and one official. At one point in the game, this hated official made 8 or 9 out of 10 calls against the Utes (7 in a row, nonetheless). Overall the officiating seemed pretty fair but there were at least 2 make-up calls made for the Utes by the other 2 officials after the hated one made a couple of pretty bizarre calls (anybody who tells me that there are no make-up calls doesn't watch enough MWC basketball). The other frustrating thing was not only the flopping in the lane by the Falcons whenever Utah was attacking the basket, but the Falcons were using the "flop shot" from behind the arc. After just about every three pointer that the Falcons took with a Ute player within a yard was followed by landing on their butt or their back. They were all "flop shots" - luckily the Falcons only came away with a foul once using this strategy.

I'm glad that Utah only has to play the Falcons once more this year and I pity all of the other teams that still have to meet them more than once. They make me so mad!