Titans Hold On to Win at Montana

Cal State Fullerton is starting to store good things in its basketball memory bank.

Like road victories.

The Titans (2-1) dumped Montana, 80-73, Tuesday night at Dahlberg Arena. Both of the Titans’ victories came at places regarded as unfriendly to visitors, the first was at Brigham Young Nov. 22.

It was Fullerton’s first victory over Montana in seven tries.

Fullerton has equaled its road victory total in last season’s 6-20 campaign. Montana’s winning streak in Missoula was ended at 10 in front of 3,957. A snowstorm earlier in the day left streets in treacherous condition and probably contributed to the small crowd.

The Titans, rebounding with the taller Grizzlies throughout the game, opened a 17-point lead in the second half. But they watched it dwindle to two with three minutes left to go.

Senior Chris Dade, who had 19 points, outscored the Grizzlies, 5-1, in the next two minutes to settle things.

“I said to Chris St. Clair, our point guard, ‘Remember when we were down at Vegas a year or two ago and came back and won that by two? And remember BYU?’ ” Dade said. “He said, ‘Yeah, we can do this. We’ve been there before.’ We started pulling each other up.”

Forward Craig Whitehead got hot early in the second half, also scoring 19 points. It was Whitehead’s third double-digit total in as many games since joining the Titans from Belleville (Ill.) Community College.

Fullerton got another lift after halftime from senior Dirk Rassloff. With forward John Williams and center Mark Richardson in foul trouble, the 6-foot-9 Rassloff had his best game since transferring from Fairleigh Dickinson after his sophomore year. He scored 12 points and had eight rebounds.

“Everyone contributed,” Titan Coach Bob Hawking said. “That’s what’s very rewarding to me as a coach, because we got a bunch of hands involved in the victory.”

Dade’s hands were involved most in the late-going. Montana guards Mike Warhank and Kirk Walker made back-to-back three-pointers to narrow the Titan lead to 72-70.

Montana tried trapping Dade on a wing and Brent Smith fouled him. Dade made one of two free throws. After Smith missed two of his own, Dade buried a slashing eight-footer from the key over Montana’s Brandon Dade.

Chris Dade then clinched it as the clock drifted below the minute mark and the shot clock edged toward zero. He got rid of a jumper in Brandon Dade’s face from the right wing that found the mark with 51 seconds left to make it 77-71.

“He made some big plays. He’s made them in the past,” Hawking said of his junior guard. “That’s his role on the team.”

Williams, who had 14 rebounds against BYU, grabbed eight in the first half before getting into foul trouble. He finished with nine rebounds and nine points.

Junior forward Ryan Dick scored 11 points and had 11 rebounds for Montana (2-3). Four other Grizzlies scored 10 points or more, led by Walker’s 14.

Fullerton shot 49% for the game; Montana finished at 37.7%. Rebounds were even at 40 apiece.

“I know this has traditionally been a very tough place to play,” Hawking said. “Not very many people get out of here on the right side of the ledger, especially in nonconference [games]. So we feel real good about coming in here and getting the job done.”