Fullerton Holds Off Gauchos for Win

Cal State Fullerton held UC Santa Barbara to only two baskets in the last 11 minutes to rally for a 66-57 victory Thursday night at Santa Barbara.

With the victory, the Titans clinched a first-round bye in the Big West Conference tournament, set for March 9-12 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Jamaal Brown scored 10 of his 14 points in the final 12:22 to lead the Titans (16-8 overall, 10-5 in the Big West Conference), who have won eight of their last nine games. Bobby Brown also scored 14 for Fullerton.

The Gauchos (9-14, 6-8) were nine for 13 in the first eight minutes of the second half, which included Derek Rasp’s third three-point basket of the game. He led all scorers with 15 points.

UC Santa Barbara tied the score at 47-47 on a free throw by Alex Harris, but two free throws by Ralphy Holmes put the Titans back ahead for good.

Holmes had 12 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

UC Santa Barbara has lost seven of its last nine games.

UC Irvine 67, Idaho 62 -- The Anteaters’ Greg Ethington scored five of his team-high 16 points in overtime at Moscow, Idaho.

Jeff Gloger had 12 points for the Anteaters (13-11, 6-9).

Gloger made a driving layup with 1:52 to play in overtime to give Irvine the lead for good at 63-62.

Tanoris Shepard led the Vandals (8-19, 6-10) with a career-high 28 points, all in the second half and overtime.

Shepard made two free throws with 23 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 54-54 and send the game to overtime.

Utah State 68, Long Beach State, 52 -- Spencer Nelson scored 16 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to lead the Aggies to a victory at Logan, Utah.

It was Nelson’s eighth double-double of the year for Utah State (20-7, 11-5 Big West).

The 49ers (7-19, 4-11) were led by reserve Kevin Houston with 12 points and Cody Pearson with 10. Jibril Hodges, Long Beach’s scoring leader at 13 points per game, was held to five points on two-for-10 shooting.

Cal Poly 83, UC Riverside 61 -- Glenn Jones scored a career-high 22 points, and Tyler McGinn scored a career-best 18 as the Mustangs (5-19, 3-12) won their first home game of 2005 at San Luis Obispo.

Freshman Larry Cunningham came off the bench to lead the Highlanders (9-16, 4-11) with 14 points.

The Mustangs outrebounded the Highlanders, 44-22.