Cal Ends Fullerton’s Season, 72-68 : Morton Scores 35 Points, but the Titans Lose in Overtime

Richard Morton’s glorious homecoming ended in misery here Friday night. So did Cal State Fullerton’s season of ups and downs.

Senior guard Kevin Johnson scored 30 points, and forward Dave Butler hit two free throws with 17 seconds left in overtime to give California a 72-68 victory in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament before a capacity crowd of 6,450 at Harmon Gym.

Morton, the Bay Area Player of the Year as a senior at Balboa High School in San Francisco, scored a career-high 35 points and make 4 of 4 three-point shots. But the effort was not enough to extend the Titans’ season.

Morton hit a three-pointer from the corner with eight seconds left in regulation to tie it at 60-60. Then, Johnson, thinking Cal still had the lead, held the ball in the backcourt, allowing time to expire.

“I thought we won it,” Johnson said. “I just tried to run the clock out. I did an excellent job, huh?”

But it did not take the Bears’ talented playmaker long in overtime to atone for his error. He made two free throws six seconds into the extra period, hit an 18-foot shot at the 4:04 mark, and made the passes that led to two more Cal scores. The Bears outscored Fullerton, 12-8, in overtime, to record their first win in post-season play since a 77-69 victory over Cincinnati in the 1960 NCAA semifinals.

Cal (19-14) will travel to Oregon State for a second-round game Tuesday night. Fullerton closed the season at 17-13.

Forward Jon Wheeler had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Bears. Butler finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Henry Turner and Herman Webster had 10 points each for Fullerton, but the Titans seemed mostly content to sit back and let Morton put on a show.

Morton was 9 of 18 from the field, 13 of 14 from the free throw line and appeared to be Fullerton’s only source of offense in the final minutes.

“Psychologically, I think some of the other kids took themselves out of the offense,” Fullerton Coach George McQuarn said. “But Richard was playing with so much confidence.”

Cal led only twice in the first half, once at 2-0. Much of that was due to Morton, who the Bears just couldn’t seem to defend. Morton had 19 points by halftime, including every Fullerton point over the last six minutes.

A Turner steal led to one of Morton’s three three-point shots of the first half, giving the Titans a 23-16 lead and forcing Cal Coach Lou Campanelli to call a timeout with 6:07 left to stop the swell of Fullerton momentum. The Bears regrouped to tie it at 25-25 with 3:05 left on Johnson’s 15-foot jumper, and McQuarn, perhaps sensing a turnaround, used one of his timeouts.

Over the last three minutes, Morton made 6 of 6 free throws and another three-pointer, and the Titans left the floor with a 32-28 lead.

It didn’t last, and the Titans are left to remember a game Morton said they “should have and could have won.”

“The kids have got to be proud,” McQuarn said. “Obviously, they’re disappointed . . . but they can be proud that they played well.”