Without Dade, Fullerton Beats Long Beach

Cal State Fullerton didn’t have Chris Dade for Thursday night’s Big West Conference game against Long Beach State, but the Titans evened things up by virtually taking the 49ers’ 7-foot-1 Andrew Betts out of it too.

Dade had four teeth pulled this week and wasn’t able to play, but the Titans managed to pick up a 61-52 victory over the 49ers in front of 1,918 at the Pyramid without their leading scorer.

Fullerton, 7-8 overall and 2-3 in conference, held Betts to only three shots and two points. He had averaged 30 points in two Big West games last weekend and was averaging 20 for the season.

This time he was foul-plagued, picking up his fourth early in the second half and fouling out with a 1 1/2 minutes to play.

“We were able to keep the ball out of his hands and that was the key,” Titan Coach Bob Hawking said. “He’s been a real force in the Big West in his last four games, and I think we took him out of their game plan.”

With Dade missing the first game of his four-year career--he had played in 94 in a row--the Titans got 15 points from Ike Harmon, 11 from Craig Whitehead and 10 from Chris St. Clair.

Guard Antrone Lee scored 22 points for the 49ers (7-10, 2-3).