The Northern Colorado men’s basketball team will face the Air Force Falcons on Wednesday at Clune Arena in Colorado Springs. The Bears enter the game with a 5-1 record, their best start since the 2018-19 season. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. MST, with coverage available on ESPN+ and PirateRadio935.com.
Northern Colorado’s strong early performance includes a 2-1 showing at the Portland Invitational, highlighted by an overtime win against Portland and a high-scoring victory over Cal State Fullerton. The Bears currently rank among the Big Sky Conference leaders in several categories, including scoring offense (89.2 points per game), field goal percentage (48.5 percent), rebounding margin (plus 9.0), assists (19.3 per game), and assist-to-turnover ratio.
The team’s recent success aligns with one of the most productive stretches in its Division I history. The Bears have reached 15 Big Sky wins three times: during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons under coach Jeff Linder, and last season under current coach Steve Smiley.
Point guard Quinn Denker leads the conference in assists (6.5 per game) and ranks fifth in scoring (18 points per game). He has recorded three consecutive high-scoring games, including a 29-point effort against Portland.
Zach Bloch is currently leading the Big Sky in three-point shooting percentage (.550) and total threes made (22). He has also posted two games with seven made threes each this season.
In the frontcourt, Brock Wisne averages 13.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while Egan Shields contributes eight rebounds and nine points per contest with an 80 percent field goal rate for the season. Ring Nyeri adds six points, six rebounds, and one block per game.
Northern Colorado’s bench has played a significant role as well, with players like Vincent Delano and Ibu Yamazaki providing reliable scoring and free throw shooting.
Defensively, Northern Colorado ranks second in conference three-point defense (25 percent allowed) and third in defensive rebounding.
Air Force comes into Wednesday’s matchup on a three-game winning streak after starting its season with four losses. The Falcons have improved offensively during their recent stretch, averaging more than 80 points across their last three games but continue to struggle with turnover margin (-3.4).
Historically, Air Force leads the all-time series against Northern Colorado 13-5; however, since resuming play in 2004, Air Force holds only a slight edge at five wins to three. The Bears have won their last two meetings against Air Force—an 81-76 home win in December 2024 and an earlier road victory—marking their first back-to-back victories over Air Force during their Division I era.
Following Wednesday’s matchup, Northern Colorado will host Regis on Saturday, November 29 at Bank of Colorado Arena. Fans who bring canned food items to that game will receive free admission courtesy of Allo Fiber; donations will benefit local organizations such as Bear Pantry and Weld County Food Bank by helping provide meals to individuals and families in need.
Fans can stay updated on team news via uncbears.com or through social media platforms including X (@UNC_BearsMBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsMBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsMBB).
