Tues 1-7-20..Clune Arena came alive with more than 4500 in attendance, many of them cadets, who watched Air Force dismantle Utah State 79-60. It was both a reminder of the past (Joe Scott 03-04) and perhaps a taste of what could be the rest of this season. The Academy enticed cadets to show up to cheer on the Mens basketball team (a little food from Chick-Fil-A didn’t hurt) in their game against the Aggies. What the Falcons showed, especially in the second half, could serve as an opening volley to visiting teams this season. Behind Ryan Swan, and suffocating defense from Sid Tomes on Utah State star Sam Merrill, Air Force soared past the Aggies and re-awakened the echoes of 16 years ago. When Clune is full and the Falcons are winning the 5800 seat arena becomes a chamber of horrors for the opposition. You can’t hear, the fans are on top of you, and it feels like you are playing uphill. The late Rick Majerus, said his Utah teams played at Cameroon Indoor and Madison Square Garden, yet Clune Arena was louder than both. Credit most of that to the cadet squadron. Yea, maybe its cooler to get off campus for a weekend than to go to a basketball game, but if the Falcons can continue to play like they did Tuesday night Clune Arena may become to cool place to be.
Saturday Air Force is at New Mexico. Listen to the game beginning at 4 on 740 KVOR.
