CS Fullerton Wins Home Opener

Cal State Fullerton, winless in its first two games, had struggled in almost every phase of the game. But against the University of Portland in the team’s home opener Thursday night, it was hardly a struggle as the Titans opened a lead of as many as 28 points en route to an 85-66 victory at Titan Gym.

Eugene Jackson, who had averaged fewer than nine points a game, scored a career-high 20 and in doing so became the first Titan other than Richard Morton to score more than 10 points in a game this year. Van Anderson, filling in for Henry Turner, who is out with torn ligaments in his right foot, scored 12 points.

Morton led the Titans, scoring 27 points, but this time it was a far more balanced offense and one that shot 61%, nearly 19 percentage points higher than the season average.

“I thought we probably played as well as we’re capable of playing at this point in the season for the first 20 minutes,” Fullerton Coach George McQuarn said. “The 20 minutes we played in the first half had to be the best 20 minutes anybody has played against Portland this year.”

Portland (0-4) lost to Oregon, Washington and Oregon State in its first three games.

Portland made its first four shots and led, 9-8, less than four minutes into the game. But Fullerton’s man-to-man defense and a dry shooting spell by the Pilots changed the game.

Portland didn’t score for more than 10 minutes, and by the time Robert Phillips made two free throws with 5:46 left in the first half, Fullerton had taken a 28-11 lead that only grew bigger.

Portland’s next field goal didn’t come until 14 minutes later, when 2:16 remained in the half, on a basket by Rodd Miller.

The Titans led by as many as 26 in the first half and had a 42-18 advantage at halftime.

The Titans didn’t play as well in the second half but they didn’t need to.

McQuarn was less than pleased with the second half but attributed the letup in part to the absence of Turner as well as Vincent Blow and Randal Moos, who have been ill and did not play.

Fullerton started its third different lineup in as many games, this time going with Bobby Adair, Oval Miller and Anderson in addition to Morton and Jackson, the only two to start all three games. Adair and Miller each started the second game of the season.

“We had to get this win. It was real important for us to play at home,” Jackson said. “We prepared real hard for Portland. We knew everything they were going to do. All we had to do was come out and execute our plays. You saw what happened.”

Portland, which was led by Robert Phillips with 14 points, shot only 37% in the first half, and finished at 47%.

“When things are going your your way, you get to thinking everything will work,” Jackson said. “It was one of those nights.”

It was a night on which the Fullerton offense finally diversified. Too often, the Titans had relied on Morton’s three-point attempts. With Morton shooting just 38%, that wasn’t working.

Against Portland, Fullerton was able to drive inside with consistency and fast break for the first time this season.