CS Fullerton Gets Past San Jose St., 63-51

Cal State Fullerton won a struggle between two struggling teams Thursday night, defeating San Jose State, 63-51, in a Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. game in Titan Gym.

San Jose State (10-13, 5-9) has lost six straight, its longest losing streak since 1979, when the Spartans lost seven in a row.

The Titans (7-15, 3-10) broke a three-game losing streak.

“It was a good win for us--a very, very good win,” said George McQuarn, Fullerton coach.

Part of San Jose State’s trouble is because Ricky Berry, the Spartans’ 6-foot 8-inch guard, and the PCAA’s leading scorer, has been slowed by a foot injury. Berry was injured in a game against Cal State Long Beach Feb. 4.

Berry, who had scored just 16 points in each of his past two games, scored only 15 against Fullerton, his lowest output of the season.

Fifteen points, however, was just enough to break the school single-season scoring record, which he set last season. He has scored 547 points this season, and already is the school’s top career scorer.

“We’re just struggling,” said Bill Berry, San Jose State coach. “When Ricky’s not playing right, we’re not playing right. If he were healthy, we would not be struggling.”

Fullerton had its most balanced scoring of the season, getting 19 points from Henry Turner and 17 each from Richard Morton and Eugene Jackson.

The surprise among the three was Jackson, the Titans’ point guard, who made 7 of 9 shots.

“We were really due for a win--really due,” Jackson said. “I knew they would put a box-and-one on (Morton), and I felt I had to contribute.”