Fullerton Rolls Past Utah State

Cal State Fullerton traveled back into the past in taking a step toward a brighter future Thursday night. The Titans played as they did in December, which is exactly what they need to do if they are to have any fun at all in March.

Stirring memories of a time when they were nationally ranked and locally feared, the Titans scored their most lopsided Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. victory of the season, beating Utah State, 94-71, before a crowd of 2,744.

It was Fullerton’s biggest margin of victory since an 88-65 rout of Loyola Marymount Dec. 23. The Titans’ output was second only to the 100 points they scored in blowing out Southern Utah State--an NCAA Division II team--Dec. 8.

Junior guard Richard Morton led four Fullerton players in double figures with a game-high 26 points. Herman Webster added 28, and Henry Turner and Derek Jones both came off the injured list to score 16. Point guard Alexander Hamilton, beginning to emerge as the element needed to make Fullerton’s halfcourt offense effective, had a career-high 10 assists.

Titan Coach George McQuarn was elated, but a little uncertain of precisely how the win would impact the rather ugly logjam the PCAA standings have become.

“This puts us somewhere around fourth or fifth, I think,” McQuarn said. “Whatever the crazy numbers are.”

The crazy numbers are these: Fullerton improved its record to 14-10 overall, 7-8 in conference play, and moved into a four-way tie for fourth place in the PCAA. Utah State (7-8, 14-13) entered the game in a four-way tie for second, and left it in a four-way tie for fourth.