SALT LAKE CITY – On one offensive possession Saturday against Utah, Air Force took three shots.

Two were blocked, the third missed.

That provided a pretty good snapshot of the Falcons’ 71-54 loss to Utah in front of an announced crowd of 10,011 at the Huntsman Center.

Utah’s 7-foot-3 David Foster blocked six shots. And of the attempts Air Force was able to sneak by Foster – and the 7-0 Jason Washburn and 6-11 Kim Tillie – most bounced off the rim. The Falcons shot 17-for-42 from the floor, including 3-for-14 from 3-point range.

“I thought their size really bothered us,” said Air Force coach Jeff Reynolds, whose team fell to 8-10 and 0-5 in Mountain West Conference play. “We had a lot of open shots that didn’t go down.”

Air Force leading scorer Grant Parker returned from a pelvic injury but appeared rusty. The senior forward/center went 1-for-5 from the floor in 15 minutes and finished with four points and one rebound.

Even with Parker back and a new starting lineup (Air Force’s eighth this season), Saturday’s game followed a similar pattern to earlier league losses. The Falcons made less than 34 percent of their 3-point shots for the fourth time in five league games. They had more turnovers (14) than assists (10) for the fourth time in five league games. And for the fifth time in five league games they played competitively for a stretch before fading.

Saturday that stretch lasted about 15 minutes.

Air Force was down just 20-18 after a free throw by Mike McLain with 5:56 left in the first half. But Utah, assisted by a pair of Falcon turnovers, went on a 9-0 run to get control of the game. The Utes (10-9, 3-2) led by nine at the half and by 17 less than six minutes into the second half. With 6:09 left they had a commanding 62-37 advantage. The Falcons made the score a bit more respectable after many at the Huntsman Center had headed to the exits.

Air Force has lost its last four games by an average of 20 points, and its MWC record for consecutive regular season league losses now is at 21.

“Watching from the bench, I was pretty disappointed with how we were playing, and being out there tonight, I knew that we could play so much better than we’re playing,” Parker said. “Which is nice, and that’s comforting, knowing we can play so much better than we are. It’s just a matter of doing it.”

NOTES

Parker returns to action

Air Force senior Grant Parker made a surprise return to the Falcons’ lineup on Saturday against Utah.

Parker had been sidelined since the Falcons’ Dec. 8 game against Prairie View A&M by a pelvic injury, and on Friday Air Force coach Jeff Reynolds said he thought Parker was at least 10 days from returning.

But Parker – who averaged team-highs of 17.1 points and 7.1 rebounds in Air Force’s first seven games – warmed up with the Falcons and entered the game with  14:10 left in the first half. He played 15 minutes and scored four points with one rebound in a 71-54 loss.

“I think he played exactly like anyone would play who’s been out that length of time – a little hesitant,” Reynolds said. “But it was good to see him out there and good to have him back.”

Shooting woes continue

Air Force made just 3-of-14 shots from 3-point range against the Utes. In the last five halves (including the New Mexico game and the second half of the game against BYU), the Falcons have made just 9-of-54 3s (16.7 percent).

Another new starting five

Junior forward Derek Brooks made his first career start Saturday, replacing Tom Fow. Brooks joined junior Evan Washington and freshmen Todd Fletcher, Taylor Broekhuis and Michael Lyons to comprise the Falcons’ eighth different starting five this season.

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