Titans Can’t Topple Sluggish Utah State

It was clear in the first few minutes that the Utah State Aggies didn’t have their heads into Saturday’s victory over Cal State Fullerton.

Just 48 hours earlier, Utah State had reclaimed a portion of first place in the Big West Conference with a decisive victory over UC Irvine. That win was still reverberating around the Cache Valley when the Aggies tipped off against the Titans.

In beating struggling Fullerton, 58-46, in front of 9,234 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Utah State got the job done, but that was about all the uninspired Aggies did.

The victory helped Utah State (21-3, 10-1) stay in a tie with Irvine, which beat host Boise State in overtime, 89-87. It was the 21st consecutive home-court win for the Aggies and the sixth consecutive game in which they have held an opponent to 60 points or less. But it was far from what Aggie fans would like, particularly at this point in the season, with Utah State’s next three games on the road at UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State and Boise State.

“You got to take each win and roll with it,” said Aggie forward Shawn Daniels, who scored 16 points and had six rebounds in what he described as a lackluster outing. “We didn’t do our best tonight and I know coach was not too happy with our performance.”

A lot of that had to do with the condition of Daniels, a 6-foot-6, 265-pound senior who is bothered by a sore hamstring. Daniels, who made nine of 10 field-goal tries against Irvine, sat out seven minutes of the first half Saturday and had two personal fouls, two rebounds and four points.

“He’s a tough guy and I know he’s not going to say anything about it hurting unless it really does,” said teammate Dimitri Jorssen, who had nine points and 10 rebounds. “But it was bothering him out there.”

The Titans (3-18, 2-9), who last won here in 1982, held the lead for most of the first half and were still close with 13 minutes to play after a three-point basket by guard Ryan Dillon cut Utah State’s lead to 46-40.

But Fullerton, which shot 31.4% from the field, made only two shots after that.

Daniels scored Utah State’s first eight points of the second half, including two free throws to give the Aggies a 44-37 lead.

After Dillon’s three-pointer cut the Aggie lead to six points, Daniels responded with a rebound and a basket and later blocked a three-point attempt by Dillon from the right baseline, sending the ball sailing five rows up into the stands.

“He set the tone right there,” said Fullerton guard David Castleton, who had nine points and five assists. “We were trying to double-team him, but he got the baskets.”

Dillon made five of 10 three-point attempts and led all scorers with 17 points.

Fullerton took an early 8-2 lead by hitting its first three jumpers.

But Utah State came back and took its first lead at 15-14 with 10:53 remaining in the first half.

Titan reserve Chris Smith scored on a driving layup to recapture the lead, 16-15, and the Titans moved ahead, 20-15, with 7:42 left in the half. But then the Aggies outscored Fullerton, 21-6, to take control.