Sow Returns, but Fullerton Still Falls to Pacific

Cal State Fullerton was at full strength Saturday night for the first time since December, but that didn’t seem to impress Pacific guard Demetrius Jackson.

Jackson made a three-point shot with 7.5 seconds remaining to give Pacific a 62-61 victory at Fullerton.

Jackson, a 5-11 senior, scored a season-high 28 points, including 15 in the final 6:07, when the Tigers (11-7, 6-3 Big West) began cutting into a five-point deficit. Fullerton’s loss offset the return of Pape Sow, who was suspended from the team Dec. 17 after he was arrested on charges that he stole a knit cap from the campus bookstore.

Sow, a 6-10 forward from Senegal who averaged 15.9 points and 8.7 rebounds before his suspension, didn’t start but had nine points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes. His basket with 15 seconds remaining gave the Titans (6-13, 4-5) their last lead, 61-59. There were 23 lead changes in the game.

Ralphy Holmes and Fedi Holm-Hadullah, both sophomore transfers, carried the Titans in the first half, combining to make eight of nine shots and score 21 points.

Holmes, whose status was questionable after re-injuring his shoulder in Thursday’s victory over Cal State Northridge, finished with 20 points. Holm-Hadullah finished with 10.

-- Dan Arritt

Long Beach State 68, UC Santa Barbara 67 -- Tony Darden made two free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining as the 49ers, despite blowing a six-point lead in the final 39 seconds, knocked the Gauchos out of first place before 2,248 at the Pyramid.

Darden drew a foul from Jacoby Atako as he rushed upcourt following a missed free throw by Branduinn Fullove. The senior guard made the the foul shots after missing two with 16.2 seconds left.

“I have tremendous confidence in Tony at the line,” Long Beach Coach Larry Reynolds said. “He’s our best free-throw shooter. I knew he was going to get the job done.”

Fullove, who had a game-high 20 points, gave Santa Barbara (9-10, 6-3 Big West) a 67-66 lead with a bank shot to cap a wild rally. Down, 66-60, Fullove made a short jumper and B.J. Ward stole the inbounds pass and made a layup. Nick Jones came up with another steal and Fullove made one of two free throws to cut the 49er lead to one.

For Long Beach (3-15, 2-7), freshman point guard Jibril Hodges made five three-pointers and scored 19 points, Kevin Roberts had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Vance Lawhorn added 13 points and eight rebounds.

-- Eric Stephens

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 74, UC Irvine 68 -- Irvine was expected to assert itself during a four-game homestand, but instead lost for the second consecutive time at Bren Evens Center for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.

Varnie Dennis scored 20 points to ensure Irvine’s fall into a fourth-place tie with the Mustangs (9-9, 5-4 Big West) before 2,173 fans.

For the Anteaters (11-7, 5-4), it was a poor follow-up to Thursday’s 70-54 debacle against UC Santa Barbara, their worst home loss in nearly four seasons.

Irvine led the Mustangs at halftime, 44-34, but then scored only 11 points over a 13:11 span of the second half, a drought that should be blamed on complacency, Coach Pat Douglass said.

“We’ve had that problem all year, and it catches up to us at times,” he said.

Adam Parada scored 16 points for Irvine.

-- Mike Bresnahan

UC Riverside 74, Cal State Northridge 71 -- Guard Kevin Butler made two free throws with 15 seconds remaining then blocked a three-point attempt by Northridge’s Curtis Slaughter with three seconds left in front of 1,605 fans at Riverside.

Northridge (9-10, 3-6 Big West) took a 34-29 lead, but Riverside (4-11, 3-6) rallied behind the three-point shooting of senior Mark Miller to take a 41-36 lead at halftime.

Northridge trailed, 72-71, after a three-pointer from reserve Michael Scott with 47 seconds to play, but then Butler came up big for the Highlanders.

“It was nice to finally hold a lead,” Riverside Coach John Masi said.

Miller, who has not practiced in two weeks because of a sprained ankle, made six of eight three-point attempts and finished with 21 points. Highlander freshman Nate Carter scored 25 points, and Northridge’s Chris Davis scored 18 points.

-- Paul McLeod

St. Mary’s 74, Pepperdine 67 -- Point guard Samuel Saint-Jean scored eight of his team’s final 11 points, including the go-ahead basket, as the Gaels (11-8, 4-2 West Coast) defeated the Waves (11-9, 3-4) at Moraga, Calif.

Mike Westphal made a three-pointer with 1:13 to play, cutting the lead to three at 70-67, but threw a pass out of bounds under pressure, and his father, Pepperdine Coach Paul Westphal, was called for a technical foul with 16 seconds to play.

Saint-Jean hit both free throws, was fouled on the inbounds play with 15.1 seconds left and sank two more free throws.

San Francisco 91, Loyola Marymount 73 -- Guard John Cox scored 27 points to help lead the Dons (9-11, 4-3 West Coast) to victory at San Francisco.

Guard Keith Kincade had 16 points for Loyola (7-15, 1-6).