COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Miller Sets Two Records in Titan Victory

Genia Miller set two more school records, and the Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball team set the record straight with Pacific Thursday night, defeating the Tigers, 77-52, in a Big West Conference game in Titan Gym.

The victory avenged Fullerton’s 73-68 loss to Pacific on Jan. 4. The Titans have since beaten every other Big West team at least once, but that loss to the Tigers might have cost Fullerton (21-6, 13-4 in conference) a shot at the conference championship. The Titans trail Nevada Las Vegas and Cal State Long Beach by a game with one game left.

“Revenge was a big factor because we played very poorly up there and they played so well,” Fullerton Coach Maryalyce Jeremiah said. “We wanted to show them how we could play, and if that wasn’t enough, then OK.”

It was plenty. Miller scored 20 of her 26 points in the second half and grabbed 17 rebounds, Joey Ray had 23 points and Claudette Jackson added 14 points for the Titans, who equaled the school record for most victories in a season and can break the mark by defeating Fresno State Saturday.

Fullerton, which made 31 of 64 shots for 48%, built a 13-point lead (35-22) at halftime, extended it to 25 (52-27) early in the second half and 30 (69-39) with 7 minutes 12 seconds remaining.

Miller also blocked four shots to bring her season total to 110 and break her previous school record of 109, set in 1988-89. Her 11 field goals brought her season total to 311 and broke Nancy Ratliff’s single-season field-goal record of 306, set in 1981-82.

Miller now holds single-season records in seven of nine categories and needs only 49 field-goal attempts to break that mark. The only record out of her reach is the assist mark, which is held by teammate Michelle Hennessey, who had eight assists Thursday to increase her season total to 183.

Pacific (15-11, 10-7) was led by Tine Freil, who had 20 points, and Natasha Norris, who had 10.

UC Santa Barbara leads--In the first day of the Big West Conference men’s swimming and diving championships at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, UC Santa Barbara took a commanding lead with 295 points. Nevada Las Vegas is second with 188 points. Cal State Long Beach is third with 174 points and UC Irvine is fourth with 118.

Nevada Las Vegas leads--In the first day of the Big West Conference women’s swimming and diving championships at Belmont Plaza, Nevada Las Vegas led second-place UC Santa Barbara, 246-209 1/2. UC Irvine is fifth with 82 points.