Utah State 58, Cal State Fullerton 46--It...

Utah State 58, Cal State Fullerton 46--It was clear in the first few minutes that the uninspired Aggies (21-3, 9-1) didn’t have their heads into the Big West game at Logan, Utah.

Only 48 hours earlier they had reclaimed a share of first place in the conference race with a decided victory over co-leader UC Irvine, a win that still reverberated around the Cache Valley at tipoff time.

But Utah State took care of Fullerton in front of 9,234 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum to keep pace with Irvine.

“You’ve got to take each win and roll with it,” said Aggie forward Shawn Daniels, who had 16 points and six rebounds despite a sore hamstring. “We didn’t do our best tonight and I know coach was not too happy with our performance.”

Fullerton (3-18, 2-9)last won at Logan in 1982, but the Titans led 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 made only 31.4% of its shots, made only two shots the rest of the way.

Daniels scored Utah State’s first eight points to open the second half, including two free throws with 1:07 left to give the Aggies a 44-37 lead.

Later, after Dillon’s three-point basket cut the Aggie lead to six, Daniels responded with a rebound and a basket and later blocked a three-point shot by Dillon.

Dillon made five of 10 three-point shots and led all scorers with 17 points but Fullerton still lost its fifth in a row.