"I was just trying to make a play and I was in the right place at the right time," said Kuhle. "Last year those plays went the other way, but we're able to make the plays this year."

Joel Gerlach scored two straight baskets inside to make it 51-46 and from there the Falcons made all the big plays while Utah looked like Air Force used to. In the final four minutes, the Falcons outscored Utah 12-3.

Majerus praised his team's effort and was especially complimentary of Tim Frost, who has played with a bad back all season, but put in 31 minutes Monday.

"I really applaud Frost and his effort and mental toughness, with what he's going through" he said.

Actually Majerus was unhappy with one of his players, although he declined to say who it was.

"We had one guy who didn't come to play, but the rest were playing their hearts out," he said. "You get compromised when a guy doesn't come to play and then you're playing four on five."

Majerus was likely talking about 6-11 freshman Andrew Bogut, who could only manage four points and three rebounds against a team that featured just one player taller than 6-6 and he was only 6-8. Bogut only played 21 minutes and sat out during the crucial stretch at the end of the game when the Utes were trying stay in it. He also had four turnovers.

In the first half, the Falcons showed how they shot a MWC-record 72 percent from the field against BYU Saturday as they made their first four shots, three on layups, to jump to a quick 9-0 lead.

The Utes didn't panic, however, and tied the score at 20-20 on an inside shot by Bogut. But Welch made an inside three-point play and Kuhle sank a 3-pointer and the Falcons took a 29-24 edge into halftime.

GAME NOTES: The Utes return home to prepare for Saturday afternoon's big in-state battle with BYU. That game tips off at 1 p.m. on ESPN-Plus The Utes and Falcons meet up again Feb. 21 at the Huntsman Center . . . After missing Saturday's game to attend his uncle's funeral, Bryant Markson returned to the lineup but went scoreless in 15 minutes of action . . . Both teams shot 10 for 17 (58.8 percent) from the field in the first half . . . Utah outrebounded Air Force 21 to 16 . . . Utah still leads the overall series 40-8.

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