Small Powers CS Fullerton, 70-58

While some of his teammates played poorly Saturday night, Cal State Fullerton’s Joe Small stuck to his usual method of operation--he simply kept shooting.

Small’s 24 points, including six three-point baskets, lifted the Titans to a 70-58 victory over Drake before 1,428 at Titan Gym.

After Fullerton gave UCLA all it could handle in a six-point loss Monday, this one figured to be a letdown, and it was.

The Titans (4-4) seemed to sleep-walk through the first 25 minutes before Small woke them with his long-range shooting. Small and Fullerton Coach John Sneed said Drake’s match-up zone defenses caused most of the Titans’ troubles.

Impatient early on, Fullerton struggled to maintain any sense of consistency. Even Small couldn’t help matters much in the first half, making only four of 10 shots.

“It was a real chess match,” Sneed said. “They threw about four different zones at us. Every time we’d adapt, they’d go to a different alignment.”

With 15 minutes left, Sneed chucked his zone offense in favor of a motion offense he normally uses against a man-to-man defense. That seemed to work, setting Small up for open jump shots behind the three-point line and allowing Fullerton’s front line players some clear space.

Small made all three three-point baskets he attempted during the second half, finishing six of 11 on three-point shots and seven of 14 overall.

Kevin Sams didn’t start for Drake but scored 20 points to lead the Bulldogs (2-3).