Ailing Ward Leads Titans Past Butler

Agee Ward, bruised thigh and all, gave Cal State Fullerton a shot in the arm Saturday night, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead the Titans to a 79-76 victory over Butler before 1,201 in Titan Gym.

Ward, a 6-foot-5 junior who started the Titans’ season opener against Lamar, has come off the bench the last two games since being injured.

Ward gave Fullerton 23 strong minutes, converting four offensive rebounds into baskets and scoring 16 of his points in the first half.

Center Aaron Wilhite added 12 points and forward Ron Caldwell had 10 to complement an inside game that carried the Titans on a night their outside game went cold.

Fullerton guard Joe Small made his first shot early in the game but finished three for 16, including one of six from three-point range.

“No player is going to have a good game every night--that’s why it’s a team game,” Titan Coach John Sneed said. “Someone else has to step in, like Agee.”

It seemed as if no Titan was a threat in the final six minutes, when Fullerton blew an 11-point lead. The Bulldogs scored 11 consecutive points, nine by forward Darin Archbold, to make the score 72-72 with 2:45 left. Archbold finished with 31 points.

Fullerton caved in against Butler’s full-court press, turning the ball over three times during Butler’s run. Wilhite finally broke the spell with two free throws at the 2:10 mark, and Small made a jumper and two free throws to keep Fullerton ahead in the final 1:28.

Bruce Bowen blocked Jermaine Guice’s three-pointer as the game ended to secure the victory.