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GAME NOTES: The 17th-ranked BYU Cougars try to bounce back after just their third loss of the season as they entertain the Air Force Falcons in a Mountain West Conference battle at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah.

Last weekend, the Cougars looked dismal in the first half of their meeting with UNLV on the road at the Thomas & Mack Center, so much so that the game's final score (88-74) was by no means indicative of how badly BYU was beaten at both ends of the floor. The loss snapped a minor two-game win streak for the Cougars, who are now one of three conference teams nationally ranked.

As for the Falcons, they've managed to post just a single MWC win thus far, their first in nearly two years as they topped Wyoming at home by a score of 70-63 at the end of January. Since then the program has suffered three straight setbacks, the most recent of those coming on Tuesday night in a 51-47 final versus Colorado State at home.

The Cougars have ripped off nine straight wins over the academy, including a 67-49 victory at Clune Arena in the first meeting of the season last month. As a result, BYU now controls the all-time series by a 51-12 margin.

Grant Parker scored 13 points, shooting 4-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-5 at the free-throw line earlier this week, but that was the end of the good news for the Falcons as they stumbled against Colorado State. Even more disappointing is the fact that the academy led by eight points at the break before suffering a complete meltdown. Air Force finished the night shooting only 31.1 percent from the field and 4-of-21 behind the three-point line. Even though Parker has missed 10 of the team's 23 games this season, on paper he is still the leading scorer with an average of 14.2 ppg, not to mention the best man on the glass with 5.2 rpg as well. Evan Washington (11.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) lends a hand where it is needed most, dishing out a team-high 72 assists in an effort to get his teammates involved and the offense beyond its mere 59.1 ppg this season.

The Cougars trailed from the jump last Saturday as they allowed UNLV to shoot 9-of-13 behind the three-point line in the first half and build a commanding 29-point advantage in the period. In the second half the Rebels cooled off, but still the hole for BYU was far too great to dig out from. Jimmer Fredette ended with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but he was not without issues as he shot only 2-of-7 behind the three-point line. Jonathan Tavernari tried to help the squad mount a comeback with 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench, followed by Jackson Emery with 10 points. In terms of overall games this season, Fredette paces the program with his 21.4 ppg by shooting not only 48.1 percent behind the three-point line, but also 139-of-155 (.897) at the charity stripe, which means he has made twice as many shots at the line than all but one of his teammates (Tyler Haws) has even attempted thus far. BYU is outscoring opponents by 18 ppg overall, but when it comes to MWC foes that number drops to less than 11 ppg.

The Falcons will do their best to slow the pace of the game to try and keep close, but after BYU came out so flat last week you can expect to see the Cougars come out with a fire lit underneath them.