Utah State’s Saxon Takes It Outside to Eliminate Titans

Cal State Fullerton made a run at an upset of Utah State, the Eastern Division champion, Saturday in the Big West men’s basketball tournament semifinals, but the Titans didn’t have the firepower to pull it off.

Guard Marcus Saxon’s 31-point performance lifted the Aggies to 65-56 victory over the Titans, who were doomed by their 37.3% shooting from the floor.

“It was too much Marcus Saxon for us,” Titan Coach Bob Hawking said. “It was a big-time performance by one of the best guards on the West Coast. He took over the game in the final four minutes.”

While the Aggies (24-7) move on to today’s title game against Pacific, Fullerton ended its season at 12-16 with Hawking’s Fullerton future uncertain. Hawking is in the last year of a three-year contract that expires March 30.

“I want to be back,” Hawking said. “I’ve given this a tremendous effort. We’re moving forward. We’re continuing to pursue the recruits that we’re involved with. It’s been a good year the way we’ve improved.”

Athletic Director John Easterbrook has said for several weeks that Hawking’s status would be reviewed at the end of the season and declined further comment after the game. He said no timetable for a decision has been set.

The Titans, who turned in a strong effort in defeating Boise State on Friday and won their first tournament game since 1990, were as close as a point behind the Aggies with less than six minutes to play before Saxon took control.

Saxon made two consecutive three-point shots, one with a second left on the shot clock, to turn back that challenge and push Utah State’s lead to 59-52 with slightly more than 3 1/2 minutes to go.

Fullerton still trailed by only five points with slightly more than two minutes left after Chris Dade broke through for a layup, but Saxon again hit a three-pointer to keep Fullerton at bay.

Dade struggled with his shooting in the final game of a four-year college career as a starter. Dade made only two of 12 shots from the field and six of 10 free throws to finish with 10 points, but still wound up third among Fullerton’s leading career scorers.

Guard Chris St. Clair and forward Ike Harmon each had 13 points to lead the Titans.

“Unfortunately in his last game, he didn’t shoot the ball well,” Hawking said of Dade. “But he’s a warrior. We’ll take him in the foxhole any time. He’s consistently guarded the other team’s top perimeter shooter throughout his career.”

Fullerton made a strategic decision to try to clog the middle and attempt to blunt Saxon’s normally strong driving to the basket with Dade as the chief defender. “We were trying to take away his penetration, and he showed what kind of shooter he is,” Hawking said.

Saxon made 12 of 15 shots from the field and was five of six on three-point attempts. He scored 15 of Utah State’s 17 points during one run in the first half when the Aggies led by as many as 14 points.

But Utah State Coach Larry Eustachy thought Fullerton’s game plan was sound.

“Fullerton sagged off, but that’s the way to play us,” Eustachy said. “Normally 70% of our shots come in the paint, but at halftime only 12 of our 26 shots were inside. And late in the second half, we had to jump up and make some spectacular shots. In our philosophy, we don’t like to rely on those kinds of shots to win games.”

Eustachy was generally disappointed with his team’s play, particularly the 18 turnovers, but he gave some of the credit for that to the Titans. “We didn’t match their determination,” Eustachy said.