Buffs challenge is to avoid getting zoomed

Still nursing wounds from a 41-point alley beating at New Mexico, Colorado packs up its' pride and hits the floor against well-coached Air Force, led by former Denver Nuggets' coach Jeff Bzdelik.

The Falcons are 3-0, beating Arkansas-Little Rock, Long Beach State and a sub-par Stanford team. However, the road gets tougher now, playing the Buffs, then perennial power Duke, followed by Radford, then another battle with an ACC foe, Wake Forest.

To win, Colorado will have to slow 6-foot-6, 225 pound forward Jacob Burtshi, of Chickasha, Ok., who is off to a strong start to the season, averaging 19.7 points and 7.7 rebounds on 58 percent shooting from the field, including 56 percent from 3-point range. The good news is Burtschi, despite his rebounding prowess, is more a jump shooter as he only gets to the line three times a game.

The Buffs will be facing a proficient offense, one that gets -- and makes good shots, connecting at a 56 percent clip. Get sloppy defensively, as they did against the Lobos and CU will lose another game to a conference that is considered lesser than the Big 12.

Colorado is led by junior Richard Roby, averaging 16 points and five rebounds a contest, but who is only shooting 32 percent from the floor. Dominique Coleman (13.5) and Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (11) are the other Buffs averaging double figures in scoring. Jackson-Wilson is notching a double-double, ripping down 12.5 rebounds.

Kal Bay, Xavier Silas and Jeremy Williams, three freshman, are playing significant minutes and learning as they make mistakes and experience success.

It says here the Buffs have the athleticism to make this game miserable for the Falcons but not the experience or chemistry to beat Air Force. Unless CU shoots lights out and smothers the Falcons into turnovers, it gets knocked down for another loss.

The Buffs are 16-2 against the men from Colorado Springs, including a perfect 8-0 mark in Boulder.

Roby, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, is now the 24th all-time leading scorer in program history.

Air Force is 27-8 under Bzdelik since he was hired in May, 2005.