Fullerton Doesn’t Size Up

Cal State Fullerton and Utah State were a study in contrast even before they tipped off for their Big West Conference semifinal Friday night. The Titans were playing in only their second conference semifinal since 1990, while the Aggies were making their sixth straight appearance and ninth in the last 10 seasons.

The lack of similarities did not end there, as Utah State wore down Fullerton with its size and pulled away for a 84-77 victory at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Utah State (23-7) advanced to play Pacific in the championship game tonight at 9. It’s the third time in the last eight seasons the teams have played for the title. Utah State won the previous meetings.

The Titans (19-10) scored the first seven points and stretched their lead to as many as 10 in the first half before Utah State’s interior began suffocating Fullerton on both ends of the floor. The Aggies took their first lead of the game, 34-33, on two free throws by 6-foot-10 center Cass Matheus with 2 minutes 14 seconds left in the first half.

In addition to Matheus, who scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half, the Aggies’ starting front line also included 6-8 senior Spencer Nelson and 6-7 junior Nate Harris, with 6-7 senior Jason Williams contributing off the bench. The quartet combined to make 11 of 15 shots in the first half and scored 30 of Utah State’s 34 points.

Fullerton’s tallest starter, 6-7 junior forward Jamaal Brown, went to the bench with two fouls in the first 3 1/2 minutes and did not return in the first half.

“They just had too much inside for us,” Fullerton Coach Bob Burton said. “When Jamaal got his second foul in the first half, that just killed us. We just couldn’t guard them inside.”

Yaphett King made Fullerton’s eighth three-point basket of the second half to cut lead to 73-71 with 2:08 left, but Nelson scored off a missed free throw and Harris put back Williams’ miss on the next possession to put the Aggies back up by four with a minute to play.

King finished with 26 points to lead Fullerton, which was trying to make its first final appearance since 1985.

“It was absolutely phenomenal,” Burton said of the season. “One of the greatest seasons I’ve ever been involved with. We were so undermanned, and the guys never quit.”