Rejuvenated Pacific Sends Message in Loss to Fullerton

Last season, University of the Pacific basketball meant two things to conference opponents: A win at home, and a win in Pacific’s Spanos Center.

The Tigers lost all 18 of those games, finishing with a 5-24 record and getting a new coach.

This season, under Bob Thomason, the Tigers are no longer the Big West Conference’s patsy. Cal State Fullerton became the latest team to learn that, escaping Saturday with a 79-75 overtime victory.

Although Pacific has just 1 victory in 9 Big West Conference games, the Tigers recently pushed UC Santa Barbara to overtime before losing by 6 points and fell to UC Irvine by 2.

“Someone has to lose the close games,” Thomason said. “And right now it’s us.”

Pacific’s Reggie Ricks made it clear from the start that it’s a different year, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers to account for Pacific’s first 9 points. Ricks hit 4 before he missed, and finished with 20 points. Teammate Don Lyttle equaled Ricks’ total.

Fullerton never led by more than 6 points, and trailed by as many as 5 in a game that was tight throughout.

The Titans had a chance to win in regulation. With the score tied, 68-68, and Pacific working for a last shot, Wayne Williams knocked the ball loose and teammate David Moody came up with the steal.

Fullerton called timeout with 6 seconds left, and ran a play for Mark Hill, whose jump shot from the free-throw line bounced off the heel of the rim.

In overtime, Pacific had the ball, trailing, 76-75, with less than a minute left. But as the Tigers worked for a shot, Hill stole the ball. The Tigers came up empty on the possession, but Williams, on the free-throw line with 36 seconds remaining, missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Pacific had another chance with 17 seconds left, but Chris Fox forced a shot from 15 feet that failed to hit the rim.

Fullerton, with its third win in a row, is 8-8, 3-4 in conference play. Pacific is 5-12 overall.