Titans Ignore the Rankings : Ward, Ahsmuhs the Keys as Men Stun No. 21 Aggies

If you saw Cal State Fullerton lose to last-place San Jose State Monday and were aware of the Titans’ problems at center, the last thing you would have expected to see Saturday night was seldom-used forward Kevin Ahsmuhs leaving to a standing ovation late in the game against nationally ranked New Mexico State.

But there was Ahsmuhs, who had played all of 103 minutes in 15 previous games, soaking up the adulation, hugging his teammates in the closing moments of Fullerton’s 89-81 upset of the 21st-ranked Aggies before 2,119 in Titan Gym.

Incredible. The same Titans who lost to a weak San Jose State team by 10 points defeat the defending conference co-champion by eight just five nights later.

And it could have been worse for the Aggies. If not for a late-game surge--in which New Mexico State cut a 16-point deficit to six, 85-79, with 43 seconds left--it would have been a blowout.

“It doesn’t matter how we played against San Jose State,” Fullerton Coach John Sneed said. “There’s magic in our house. We play great in Titan Gym. The odds were extremely against us with two front-line players out, but our effort was outstanding.”

With starting center Aaron Wilhite out with a knee injury and reserve center Ron Caldwell suspended, Fullerton, which is 8-0 at home this season, started Agee Ward, normally a forward, at center and Ahsmuhs, who had a 1.9-point average, at forward.

Ward responded with 26 points and 15 rebounds, both career highs, and Ahsmuhs had eight points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots before fouling out with six seconds left.

“I never would have expected that,” Ahsmuhs said of the ovation. “I went into the game thinking I was going to play more and wanted to let whatever was going to happen happen. It just happened great for us.”

Guard Joe Small scored 21 points, and Bruce Bowen, who had constant success penetrating the Aggies’ half-court defense and pulling up for short jumpers, added 20 points and eight rebounds.

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Titans, who improved to 11-5, 4-3 in the Big West Conference. The Aggies dropped to 12-2, 4-1.

For much of the game, the Titans handled the Aggies’ vaunted zone press and matchup zone with ease. They had their best shooting night of the season, making 32 of 56 shots for 57%.

“I thought we did an outstanding job attacking the matchup zone,” Sneed said. “We used the dribble extremely well and were able to penetrate all night.”

New Mexico State, which relies on its defense to start many scoring opportunities, might be good in the transition game, but the Aggies didn’t have much of a half-court offense Saturday night.

Instead of attacking Fullerton’s zone, New Mexico State seemed content to pass the ball around the perimeter and take shots from outside. The Aggies had a miserable shooting night, making 29 of 77 (.377), including four of 24 three-pointers (.167).

“It’s disappointing when you lose, but it’s tough when you go on the road in our conference,” Aggie Coach Neil McCarthy said. “I can’t think of anyone who had a particularly good game for us, and no one played well off the bench. When 10 guys don’t play well, the normal conclusion to that is a loss.”

Ward scored 14 of his points in the first half, when Fullerton built a 42-33 lead. The Titans extended that to 77-60 with 2:43 left.

But the Aggies took advantage of some poor Fullerton free-throw shooting in the final minutes to threaten. Small made only four of 10 foul shots in the final 1:27, and Randy Brown came up with two steals in the last minute to help pull New Mexico State within six, 85-79, on Chris Small’s three-pointer with 43 seconds left.

But the Aggies’ Ron Putzi missed a three-pointer with 34 seconds left, and Ahsmuhs blocked Chris Small’s three-point attempt and got the slam on the other end with 21 seconds left to secure the victory.

“We started celebrating a little too early,” Sneed said. “But we woke up when Joe missed those free throws in the end.”

After enduring a game in which nothing seemed to go right Monday, Fullerton enjoyed an evening when much of the breaks were going their way:

--Midway through the second half, with New Mexico State making a run, Ahsmuhs threw away an in-bounds pass in the backcourt. But Michael New tossed up a long three-pointer that missed, Ahsmuhs rebounded, and Ward scored on the other end for a 65-51 lead.

--Moments later, Bowen shot an air ball from about 10 feet, but the shot landed right in Ward’s hands, and he put in a reverse layup.

--Late in the game, the Aggies appeared to have Small trapped on the sideline near midcourt. Small tried to throw the ball off the leg of William Benjamin, but Benjamin got out of the way, and the ball landed in Ahsmuhs’ hands. Small then hit a jumper for a 73-58 lead.