Titans Snare Overtime Win on the Road, 66-58

George McQuarn changed his mind Thursday night, which doesn’t qualify as a huge surprise. It’s not like he’s never done it before.

McQuarn, that sometimes spontaneous, often emotional but rarely dull coach at Cal State Fullerton, was saying just last week how Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. teams were doomed to despair on the road, and how only top-ranked Nevada Las Vegas was immune.

So how does McQuarn explain Fullerton’s 66-58 overtime victory over New Mexico State Thursday night in the Pan American Center?

“I guess there are exceptions,” he said. “Rare exceptions.”

Junior guard Richard Morton had a game-high 28 points, including six in overtime, to lead the Titans to their fourth straight victory and the first in four tries at New Mexico State. Junior forward Derek Jones, in what he referred to as “my best game as a Titan,” added 15 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocked shots.

It was Fullerton’s first road victory in more than a month, and it’s one the Titans desperately needed.

“In my mind, it’s the biggest win of the year for us,” McQuarn said. “This ballgame puts us in a position where we can really have something to say about what happens in the conference race.”

The victory makes Fullerton 5-6 in PCAA play, 12-8 overall. New Mexico State, with its first conference loss at home this season, is 4-7, 10-12.

Fullerton had a 50-45 lead with 54 seconds left in regulation, but a three-point shot from the corner by Aggie forward Jeff McCool with 46 seconds remaining and a driving layup by Jock White with 15 seconds left sent the game into overtime.

The Titans could be excused for thinking, “Not this again.” They lost twice to New Mexico State in overtime last season. They lost in double-overtime to Utah State on Jan. 22. In six-plus seasons under McQuarn, Fullerton had won four overtime games and lost 15. And none of those victories had come on the road.

Another overtime loss could have been devastating, and, for a while, it appeared one was imminent. Reserve forward Derek Hill took a pass from Kenny Travis and went in for a dunk six seconds into overtime, than grabbed a loose ball and scored another dunk at the 3:42 mark to give the Aggies a 54-50 lead.

But Morton, who played all 45 minutes, went 10 of 20 from the field and hit 4 of 6 shots from three-point range, brought the Titans back. After Jones made two free throws to cut New Mexico State’s lead to 54-52, Morton hit a 19-foot jumper to tie it at 54 with 2:31 to play. With 1:47 left, he made a 15-footer that gave the Titans a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Oval Miller made two free throws to give Fullerton a 60-56 lead at the 1:02 mark. Henry Turner, held to only five points on 1-of-12 shooting, and Morton each added two more free throws to secure the victory that left Fullerton players feeling decidedly better about themselves.

“This could put us on a totally different level,” senior center Herman Webster said. “We’re in a position now to get after some people like we did in December.”

Travis led New Mexico State with 20 points, but only six of those came after halftime. After leading New Mexico State to a 24-20 halftime lead, Travis did little to help the Aggies in overtime. After hitting a 15-foot jumper, he missed one from long range, got a five-second violation for allowing an inbound pass to roll toward midcourt, then dribbled a ball off his foot, all in the last minute of overtime.

Travis’ disappearing act, coupled with some clutch shooting from Morton, gave the Titans a rarity: an overtime victory on the road.