Fullerton Cold as Ice Against Utah State

The Wasatch Mountains during winter are no place for shaved heads. Coach Bob Hawking’s hair-removal statement of unity with his players might have seemed like a good idea back home at balmy Cal State Fullerton. But up here, with temperatures in the teens and blowing snow piling up behind exposed ears, it’s a sure way to a numb skull.

And how cold were the Titans Thursday night? Well, Utah State missed its first six shots, had seven turnovers in the first nine minutes and led, 20-8.

Fullerton had won three in a row, but the only thing slick about the Titans on this night were their heads as they stumbled to a 73-49 loss in front of 6,569 in the Spectrum.

The Titans (5-11 overall and 4-4 in the Big West) missed their first eight shots and 11 of their first 14. They scored only 20 points in the first half, shot 39% from the field for the game and 48% at the free-throw line, committed 23 turnovers and finished with their lowest point total in four years.

“This was a bad apple right here,” Hawking said. “It didn’t exactly come out like we drew it up on the blackboard. We’ve got a young team and I guess we have to expect some ups and downs.”

It was a long trip through snowed-in airports and snowed-over roads to get up here and then come down so hard and fast. But Fullerton teams should know better. The last time the Titans won in this facility was 1982 and then they beat the worst Aggie team in school history.

“I think the noise really affected our ability to execute,” Hawking said. “This is the noisiest place we’ve played, noisier than UCLA or Utah. It disrupted our ability to focus.

“Our young guys have to learn how to deal with playing in a place like this, it’s part of becoming a Division I basketball player and unfortunately there’s no way to simulate it in Titan Gym.”

The Aggies (10-9, 4-3) had 10 first-half turnovers of their own, but they quickly turned their 11-point halftime advantage into a rout. Jermaine Womack’s layup seven minutes into the second half put Utah State ahead, 44-27. Three minutes later, center Eric Franson scored on a driving layup and the Aggies had a 20-point lead.

“I actually was pleased with our defense in the first half,” Hawking said. “Holding them to 31 points, that’s not bad. But then they just sort of wore us down.”

Utah State’s bigger, stronger post players started to dominate and the Aggies outrebounded Fullerton, 24-13, in the second half. They had 12 second-half offensive rebounds, most of which ended up as points, either as a result of tip-ins or free throws after being fouled on follow-shots.

“I’m really happy with this game,” Utah State Coach Larry Eustachy said. “We know we have to play a certain way and the defense played well. And I liked the way we handled the win, there wasn’t a lot of celebrating. We just started thinking about playing Irvine [Saturday].

“We’re not going to get too high or low after a game. The mental aspect is huge.”

Utah State forward Jon Wickizer hit eight of 11 shots from the field and scored a career-high 24 points. Franson, who left late in the game after a catching an elbow in the forehead and suffering a gash that required a couple stitches, and forward Silas Mills each had 14 points. The three combined for 23 rebounds.

“We wanted to control Franson and Mills,” Hawking said, “and then Wickizer, who’s been a role player for them, really stepped it up.”

The Titans had only one player in double figures, forward Chuck Overton, who scored 11 points.