COLORADO SPRINGS • An anticipated rematch never really took off for Air Force on Saturday, and the Falcons had nowhere to look but inward.

Air Force shot 23 percent and missed eight free throws in the first half against Colorado State. You can’t do that and beat these Rams.

Colorado State took it from there, winning 73-53 in front of 2,579 at Clune Arena.

“They’re a kind of team that has been in these games,” Air Force coach Joe Scott said. “Stronger, older team. They looked that way and we didn’t.”

The Rams took their first lead 1:51 in the game and never allowed Air Force to draw even. The Falcons failed to hit a field goal over the final 6:40 of the first half, allowing Colorado State to close the half on a 15-2 run.

“I thought we came out with a great mindset, and that’s really what set the tone,” Rams coach Niko Medved said.

Colorado State (15-1, 5-1 Mountain West) is off to its best 16-game start in school history. With the physical nature of its play behind All-Mountain West forward David Roddy , they also represented a difficult draw for Air Force as it wrapped a stretch of four games in eight days. Roddy scored 14 points with 10 rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot.

“I wouldn’t say it is necessarily hard, because every team in this conference has dudes like that on their team,” said Air Force freshman Jake Heidbreder, who scored a game-high 16 points for the Falcons — 15 of which came in the second half. “I think we just have to do the game plan for each team and listen to our coaches and do what we have to do.”

The Falcons (9-8, 2-4) were never within single digits in the second half, as Colorado State’s lead swelled to as large as 23. The free throw issue never fixed itself, as the Falcons finished 8-of18 from the line.

“We obviously have to improve our foul shooting,” Scott said. “That’s a fact. We do shoot fouls. We do work on that. But often times, guys that make (free throws), they’ve got a certain mentality to them all the time. We didn’t look like that today.”

Air Force guard Ethan Taylor briefly left the game and retreated to a nearby tunnel with team medical staff as they looked at his left hand. Taylor returned and finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Coach Joe Scott said Taylor has an issue is with his left pinky finger, but has been able to play through it for more than a week.

Isaiah Stevens led all scorers with 18 points for Colorado State, while John Tonje added 15 off the bench.

A. J. Walker added 13 for Air Force. These teams had met on Jan. 4, with Air Force hanging with the upset bid until the final minute despite three starters out with COVID-19 issues.

The Falcons weren’t missing anything on Saturday except a spark that the team just couldn’t find.

“They just brought more energy than we did,” Heidbreder said, “and we just didn’t play our game.”