Fullerton forces Anteaters to back down

IRVINE — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team said before Saturday’s Big West Conference home clash with Cal State Fullerton that it was focused on defending the Bren, a reference to its unbeaten record on campus this season. But, as things turned out, defending the Titans’ guards may have served them better.

“[Fullerton] guards dominated,” said UCI Coach Pat Douglass, after the Titans earned a 74-66 triumph to earn a share of the conference title, their first since 1976. “Their dribble penetration hurt us. It seemed like whenever they needed a bucket, they were able to drive the ball.”

While the Titans (21-8, 12-4 in conference) were forcing UCI defenders to back down, the Anteaters (15-15, 9-7), were failing to do the same with their offensive approach.

It began in the first half, when UCI virtually refused to get the ball inside to 6-foot-7 senior center Darren Fells, despite the fact that Fullerton starting center Scott Cutley, a conference MVP candidate, sat the final 14 minutes, 4 seconds, after picking up two fouls.

And, after UCI had trimmed the deficit to 50-47 with 11:44 left in the game, Cutley’s defensive presence seemed to force Fells away from the basket, keying a pair of stops and allowing the visitors to score six straight points and retain control of the game.

The loss meant little in the standings for UCI, which had already locked up the No. 5 seed for the eight-team conference tournament that begins Wednesday at the Anaheim Convention Center. UCI will meet Long Beach State (6-24) at 6 p.m. To win the conference tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament, UCI will need to win four games in four days.

Fullerton, which shared the conference crown with top tournament seed UC Santa Barbara, as well as No. 2-seeded Cal State Northridge, remained the only conference team the Anteaters had not beaten this season.

Fullerton also ended UCI’s season-long four-game win streak and halted a string of 11 straight wins at the Bren Events Center, where 2,285 added an emotional backdrop.

UCI stumbled early, hitting just one of its first 12 field-goal tries, and never seemed to find any offensive flow.

The Anteaters shot 46.7% from the field in the second half to finish at 41.1% for the game (23 of 56), but were just six of 23 from three-point range (26.1%).

Fullerton, which committed three fewer turnovers than UCI’s 15 and won the rebounding battle, 35-29, shot 52% after halftime to finish 26 of 55 from the field (47.3%). The visitors were also seven for 18 from three-point range (38.9%), nailing three three-pointers in a span of 3:34, beginning at 8:41 left in the game.

All nine of Fullerton’s two-point field goals in the first half were from inside eight feet, including seven layups.

The Titans added seven layups in the second half and Akognon hit six of six foul shots in the final 1:21 to clinch the win.

Fells, who missed his only first-half field-goal try and had two points at halftime, finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. He was three of eight from the field.

Patrick Sanders, who along with Fells and guard Marcus McIntosh were three UCI seniors honored in their final home appearance, had 10 of his 18 points after halftime. He finished seven of 17 from the field and Fullerton Coach Bob Burton credited the defense of senior Frank Robinson for making Sanders earn each one.

“I thought they were hard points,” Burton said of Sanders’ production.

Burton also credited Cutley’s defense on Fells, particularly in the aforementioned stanza after UCI had trimmed the lead to three with 11:44 left.

“[Cutley] likes to play good players and he’s a great defender inside,” Burton said.

“Like I’ve been telling everyone, he’s the glue to why we won, because he doesn’t care about anything else, except doing the stuff that wins for you.”

Cutley, who had a modest nine points and five rebounds in 26 minutes, said he was concerned only with trying to limit Fells.

“My coach challenged me to guard Darren Fells and I took the challenge,” Cutley said. I just tried to focus on him and not worry about scoring tonight.”

Kevin Bland, who started the second half, had 10 points off the bench for UCI.

Douglas said Fullerton appeared much more motivated than his team.

[The Titans] are a good team, Douglass said. “They got after us and beat us with the dribble. We had some chances to keep it closer and we couldn’t convert. When they needed some buckets, their guards took over.”

All nine of Fullerton’s first-half two-point field goals were from inside eight feet, including seven layups.

The Titans added seven layups in the second half and Akognon hit six of six foul shots in the final 1:21 to clinch the win.

Big West Conference

Cal State Fullerton 74, UC Irvine 66

CSF – Robinson 14, Morgan 4, Cutley 9, Akognon 15, Reed 12, Crenshaw 10, Lassiter 8, Green 2.

3-pt. goals – Akognon 3, Crenshaw 2, Lassiter 2.

UCI – Sanders 18, DeCasas 0, Fells 11, McIntosh 9, Hunter 7, Bland 10, Lauer 6, Rembert 5.

3-pt. goals – Sanders 2, Hunter 1, Rembert 1, Lauer 1, Bland 1.

Halftime – CSF, 34-29.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].