Fullerton Taking Its Act to Pauley : Titans Bring 7-1 Record Into Tonight’s Game With UCLA

Cal State Fullerton Coach George McQuarn will be getting together with an old college buddy tonight when his Titans meet UCLA in Pauley Pavilion.

McQuarn played baseball at UCLA in the mid-1960s. His roommate was a basketball player named Walt Hazzard.

They have kept in touch since, and it’s safe to say their relationship had a little to do with Fullerton getting a date on UCLA’s schedule this season. McQuarn said Hazzard called him last spring when he realized the Bruins had an open date.

“There’s a certain element of that involved,” McQuarn said. “If Walt and I hadn’t gone way back as friends, I don’t think UCLA would have been looking to play Cal State Fullerton.”

McQuarn is going to this reunion in high style, taking with him a 7-1 team that was ranked 20th in the nation in last week’s United Press International Coaches’ poll. Other numbers that bear repeating: The Titans have won seven straight games, and their last five victories have been over teams that played in postseason tournaments last March.

It will be Fullerton’s first meeting with UCLA, and it is one Fullerton followers have long wanted to see. McQuarn said it is also a big event for him.

“With regards to myself, it’s certainly not just one of nine games we’ll play in the month of December,” he said. “Anyone who was raised in Southern California, watched what John Wooden accomplished and happens to be coaching in (NCAA) Division I would have to be excited about going into that arena and sitting across from that bench. It’s a really special game in my coaching career. I hope it’s special with my kids.”

It is important to UCLA because the Bruins (4-4) still are trying to regain whatever it was they had in getting off to a 3-0 start, including an 89-84 win over North Carolina on Dec. 1. UCLA snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday night with a 67-65 win over Cal State Long Beach.

Before that game, UCLA coaches told sophomore point guard Jerome (Pooh) Richardson to shoot more and pass less. Richardson made 8 of 10 field goal attempts, including the deciding basket with six seconds to play. The win didn’t get very high scores for artistic merit, but it was a win, and that was good enough for Hazzard.

Junior forward Craig Jackson was a no-show for the Long Beach game. The day before, Hazzard had announced that Jackson would be replaced in the starting lineup by sophomore Charles Rochelin. UCLA officials said Jackson missed the game for “personal reasons.” Hazzard said Jackson would not play against Fullerton.

Rochelin and teammate Montel Hatcher were injured when they bumped heads early in the second half against Long Beach. Rochelin’s suffered a cut that required 19 stitches. X-rays of his jaw were negative, however, and he is expected to play tonight. Hatcher was reportedly still dizzy from the collision Sunday and his status is questionable.