Fullerton Keeps It Going in 73-63 Win

Streaking Cal State Fullerton kept its longshot NCAA tournament dreams alive Wednesday night with a 73-63 Big West tournament first-round victory over Cal State Northridge, the Titans’ third win in a row and fifth in six games.

Junior Justin Burns led sixth-seeded Fullerton with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while senior Jamaal Brown scored 18 and junior Bobby Brown added 17 for the Titans.

Fullerton will play No. 3-seeded Cal State Long Beach in the quarterfinals tonight at 6.

“We feel really good about this game, but we know that we have another tough one,” Fullerton Coach Bob Burton said.

“We’re going to have to play our best game all year. We’ve played [Long Beach State] twice and lost.... They are a tough matchup for us because the reason why we’ve turned it around this season has been our pressure on defense, and that’s tough to do against them.”

Fullerton (16-12), the Big West coaches’ preseason pick to win the league title, started strong behind Burns, who dominated the boards and seemed to score at will inside against the Matadors.

Burns had 12 points and 10 rebounds, including six offensive, by the end of the first half.

“He’s absolutely terrific,” Burton said. “ ... He’s been playing great and that takes pressure off of Bobby and Jamaal.”

Fullerton pulled away over the first five minutes of the second half with a 13-4 run, to give it a commanding 48-27 lead.

But Northridge switched to a half-court zone trapping defense and slowly got back into the game by forcing turnovers and perimeter shots. With guard Rob Haynes and Jonathan Heard making plays, the Matadors cut Fullerton’s lead to 52-46 with eight minutes remaining.

That would be the closest Northridge would get as Bobby Brown made consecutive three-point baskets to spark the Titans’ final run.

Northridge (11-17) was led by Mike Efevberha’s 16 points, while Heard finished with 14 and Haynes 11.