PREVIEW: Bears Prep for In-State Tipoff at Air Force

Wednesday, November 26

USAF Academy, Colo.

4 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

Air Force

11/24/2025 4:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – The Northern Colorado men's basketball team (5-1) is set to continue the 2025-26 slate at Clune Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Wednesday as they face the Air Force Falcons. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. MST with coverage on ESPN+ and PirateRadio935.com.

BEARS OFF TO BEST START SINCE 2018-19: Northern Colorado enters its next contest at 5-1, marking the program's best start since the 2018-19. The Bears closed out the Portland Invitational with a resilient 2-1 performance, winning an overtime battle at Portland before outlasting Cal State Fullerton 97–93.

UNC continues to operate as one of the Big Sky's most efficient teams, ranking among the early-season leaders in:

Scoring offense: 89.2 PPG (2nd)
Field goal percentage: 48.5 percent (3rd)
Rebounding margin: plus 9.0 (4th)
Assists: 19.3 per game (1st)
Assist to turnover ratio: 2nd

The strong November showing places the 2025-26 Bears alongside some of the most successful starts in program history.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: A MODERN ERA OF SUCCESS: Northern Colorado continues to operate in one of the most successful stretches in its Division I timeline.

15 Big Sky Wins: Most in Program History
UNC has reached 15 Big Sky victories, the program record, three times:
2018-19: 15–5 (Jeff Linder)
2019-20: 15–5 (Jeff Linder)
2024-25: 15–3 (Steve Smiley)

Last season's team became only the third in school history to reach the 15 win mark, placing the current 2025-26 roster directly within that trajectory.

Best Start Since 2018-19
The last UNC team to begin 5-1 or better was the 2018-19 Linder led squad (21-11, 15-5 Big Sky), one of the most efficient and disciplined teams in UNC history.

DENKER DRIVING A TOP TIER OFFENSE: Point guard Quinn Denker continues to perform as one of the Big Sky's elite lead guards. Denker ranks:

1st in the Big Sky in assists: 6.5 APG
5th in scoring: 18.0 PPG
4th in free throw percentage: .854
3rd in assist to turnover ratio: 2.29
4th in minutes played: 32.9 MPG

Denker produced three straight explosive performances in Portland, including 13 points vs Cal State Fullerton, 29 points at Portland, and 21 vs St. Thomas. His command of pace and elite passing continue to elevate UNC's conference leading assist profile.

BLOCH: THE BIG SKY'S PREMIER PERIMETER SHOOTER: Zach Bloch has emerged as one of the conference's hottest shooters and currently leads the Big Sky in:

Three point percentage: .550
Total threes made: 22

He adds:
15.0 PPG (11th in the Big Sky)
A Big Sky high 32 point performance vs Cal State Fullerton
Two games with seven made threes, the only player in the league with multiple seven three games this season

Bloch's range and spacing reshape UNC's offensive geometry, forcing defenses to extend and creating driving lanes for Denker, Yamazaki, and Wisne.

FRONTCOURT PHYSICALITY ANCHORS THE BEARS: Northern Colorado's frontcourt continues to produce at a high level:

Brock Wisne
13.5 PPG
6.3 RPG (16th in Big Sky)
58.2 percent from the field: 4th in the Big Sky
Double double at Pepperdine (16 and 10)

Egan Shields
8.0 RPG: 4th in the Big Sky
9.0 PPG
Double double at Portland (15 and 11)
80 percent FG for the season

Ring Nyeri
6.3 PPG
6.2 RPG
1.0 BPG: T4th in the Big Sky
Anchors the conference's number two three point defense

The trio fuels UNC's plus 9.0 rebounding margin and defensive efficiency around the rim.

BENCH IMPACT REMAINS A STRENGTH: UNC's depth continues to separate the Bears from much of the conference:

Vincent Delano: 7.2 PPG, top 15 in free throw percentage
Ibu Yamazaki: 9.8 PPG, 8 for 8 at the free throw line vs Fullerton
Shields and Nyeri: among the top reserve rebounders and shot blockers in the Big Sky

UNC's bench has produced multiple double digit outings and plays a key role in maintaining pace and defensive quality through rotations.

DEFENSIVE IDENTITY TAKING SHAPE: While the offense draws attention, UNC's defense continues to progress:

2nd in Big Sky three point defense: 25.0 percent
3rd in defensive rebounding
5th in overall field goal defense: 43.2 percent

The Bears have held opponents under 70 points three times and recorded one of the league's stingiest turnover performances with only four turnovers vs Cal State Fullerton.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS: Air Force enters Wednesday's matchup on its best stretch of the season, riding a three-game win streak after opening the year 0-4. Two victories came at home during the Air Force Classic, where the Falcons averaged 80.3 points, their best three-game offensive stretch in two seasons.

The Falcons feature a balanced scoring lineup with four players averaging 11.0+ points and rely heavily on their starting group. Air Force is shooting 46.3% from the field and 35.8% from three across seven games, showing improved efficiency compared to their early-season losses.

Turnover margin has been a challenge (-3.4), and opponents are averaging 73.9 ppg, but Air Force has significantly tightened offensive execution in its last three contests.

All-Time Series: Air Force leads 13-5
First Meeting: 1956-57
Modern Series History (Since 2004): Air Force leads 5-3
Most Recent Meeting: Northern Colorado 81, Air Force 76 (Dec. 16, 2024 - Greeley)
Current Streak: Northern Colorado W2

Northern Colorado and Air Force renew a long-running regional matchup that dates back to the 1956-57 season. While the Falcons hold a 13-5 advantage across the full historical series, the modern era meetings have been far more competitive, with Air Force holding a narrow 5-3 edge since the series restarted in 2004.

The Bears have won the last two meetings, including an 81-76 home win in December 2024, where UNC built a 15-point halftime lead and held off a late Falcon push. Northern Colorado also claimed an 83-79 road win in December 2023, marking the program's first back-to-back victories over Air Force in the Division I era.

The series has featured several close, possession-by-possession finishes. Four of the last five matchups have been decided by single digits, including UNC's narrow 67-65 home loss in 2022 and the 83-79 victory in 2023, the smallest margin of victory in series history.

Air Force's most dominant win in the modern series came in 2005-06, while Northern Colorado's largest margin of victory is a 70-46 road win on Nov. 21, 2009.

UP NEXT: The Bears will host Regis on Saturday, November 29 at 6 p.m. Fans who bring a canned food item will receive free admission to the game, courtesy of Allo Fiber. Donations collected will benefit the Bear Pantry and Weld County Food Bank, helping to provide meals and resources for individuals and families.

Follow the Bears
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsMBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsMBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsMBB).