Jan. 2, 2004

Box Score

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Col. - Joel Gerlach scored 20 points and A.J. Kuhle added 13 as Air Force built a 17-point halftime lead en route to a 71-49 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Friday night at Clune Arena.

Air Force (7-2), coming off a win over Cal in the championship game of the Golden Bear Classic, is off to its best start in school history. The nation's leading defense held UWM to just 17 first-half points while forcing 14 turnovers.

Dylan Page scored 17 points for the Panthers (6-5), while Ed McCants, who dislocated his thumb in practice Thursday night, was held to 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field. The Panthers had 25 turnovers for the game and shot a season-low 40 percent.

Trailing 34-17 at the break, UWM scored the first five points of the second half to pull within 34-22 with 18:41 to play in the game. But the Panthers would get no closer as the Falcons led by as many as 23 points in the second half.

"It's a great system," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said of Air Force's Princeton-style offense that led to 56.5 percent shooting from the field. "It's the most difficult system I've had to prepare for in 20 years of coaching, And their defense is unique. They probably don't get enough credit for their defense.

"There is a reason why they are 7-2. They are an excellent team."

The Falcons controlled the first 20 minutes of play with a stingy defense and patient offense, shooting 60 percent from the field while forcing 14 Panther turnovers. The Falcons wasted little time in jumping out in front, scoring 12 of the first 14 points of the game for a 12-2 advantage 6:20 into the contest.

UWM pulled within 12-5 on a three by Page, but Air Force scored 11 of the next 13 points to build a 23-7 lead with 6:17 remaining and eventually led 27-9.

The Panthers tried to fight back, scoring the next four points to pull within 27-13 on two Page free throws. But a three by Hood with eight seconds remaining in the first half gave the Falcons a 34-17 lead at the break.

UWM returns to action Monday night, hosting Detroit in a Horizon League contest. The game tips off at 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena.