Cal State Fullerton forward E.J. Anosike, left, battles for a rebound with UC Riverside guard Zyon Pullin during the first half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Jalen Harris drives with the ball as UC Riverside guard Dominick Pickett defends during the first half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Quinton Ford falls to the court after drawing a charging call on Cal State Fullerton guard Damari Milstead during the first half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Quinton Ford reacts after getting run over by Cal State Fullerton guard Damari Milstead during the first half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Quinton Ford reacts while seated on the court after drawing a charging foul against Cal State Fullerton guard Damari Milstead during the first half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor argues a call with an official during the first half of their Big West Conference game against UC Riverside on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor turns his head as he argues a call with an official during the first half of their Big West Conference game against UC Riverside on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton forward Vincent Lee tries to block the shot of UC Riverside Highlanders guard Zyon Pullin, right, during the first half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Flynn Cameron, left, defends Cal State Fullerton forward Vincent Lee during the first half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside forward Daniel Mading, left, Cal State Fullerton forward Vincent Lee, center, and UC Riverside guard Wil Tattersall anticipate a rebound during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton forward Vincent Lee, left, and UC Riverside guard Flynn Cameron battle for control of the ball during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Jalen Harris, center, is defended by UC Riverside Highlanders guards Zyon Pullin, left, and Dominick Pickett during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton forward Vincent Lee gets a shot off between UC Riverside center Callum McRae, left, and UC Riverside forward Daniel Mading during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Zyon Pullin, center, is double-teamed by Cal State Fullerton guards Tory San Antonio, left, and Tray Maddox Jr. during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Tory San Antonio, left, battles for a rebound with UC Riverside guard Wil Tattersall during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton forward E.J. Anosike, left, and UC Riverside center Callum McRae battle for a rebound during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Wil Tattersall, left, and UCR guard Dominick Pickett, right, battle for the rebound against Cal State Fullerton forward E.J. Anosike during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton forward E.J. Anosike, left, battles UC Riverside center Callum McRae for control of the ball during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Tory San Antonio, center, reacts after being called for a technical foul as teammate Jalen Harris, right, disagrees as well during the second half of their Big West Conference game against UC Riverside on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside center Callum McRae, left, battles for a rebound with Cal State Fullerton forward Vincent Lee during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Tray Maddox Jr. goes for a layup as UC Riverside center Callum McRae defends during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton forward E.J. Anosike, left, fights for a rebound with UC Riverside guard Flynn Cameron, center, and UCR center Jhaylon Martinez during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Jalen Harris shoots as UC Riverside center Callum McRae defends during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Dominick Pickett, right, and Cal State Fullerton guard Jalen Harris exchange words during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Flynn Cameron (11) and UCR center Jhaylon Martinez, right, battle with Cal State Fullerton forward E.J. Anosike, back, for a rebound during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
UC Riverside guard Flynn Cameron, left, runs into Cal State Fullerton guard Jalen Harris during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton forward Vincent Lee lays on the court after taking a elbow to the head from a UC Riverside player during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Tray Maddox Jr. has his shot tipped by UC Riverside center Callum McRae during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Cal State Fullerton guard Tray Maddox Jr. flies past UC Riverside center Callum McRae during the second half of their Big West Conference game on Saturday night at UCR. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
RIVERSIDE — UC Riverside head coach Mike Magpayo believes his team has consistently risen to challenges this season, having beaten Arizona State and hung tight with Oregon on the road.
So, heading into Saturday’s home game against Cal State Fullerton – which was undefeated in Big West Conference play and riding an eight-game win streak – Magpayo said he put it out there to his team: “These guys are coming in with a lot of confidence.”
The Highlanders (11-6 overall, 4-2 Big West) responded with a 67-54 win, handing the Titans (12-6, 6-1 Big West) their first conference defeat and first loss since Dec. 8. UCR built a 15-point lead at halftime and never allowed Fullerton to get back in the game.
“They play well in those environments, so when you give them a challenge, they like to rise to the challenge,” Magpayo said of his players.
Three UCR starters finished in double figures, with Dominick Pickett leading the way with 18 points.
The Highlanders out-hustled the Titans and defended well, drawing charges, grabbing loose balls and clogging passing lanes. Fullerton committed 17 turnovers, nine of them steals by UCR.
Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor said his team got away from what it had done well the previous eight games: The Titans didn’t play with a purpose, they didn’t draw any charges and they didn’t win the 50-50 battles.
“We didn’t come out and we didn’t earn it,” Taylor said. “We earned what we got, which is a loss. What the eight games showed us is there are things that we need to accomplish that make us a different team, and tonight we didn’t have any of those things.”
Nothing seemed to work for the Titans, who were led by Jalen Harris (season-high 20 points) and E.J. Anosike (10 points, seven rebounds).
Magpayo said his team doesn’t normally force a lot of turnovers, which made this win stand out for him.
“We really hang our hat on defending and rebounding, and to do that to Fullerton – proud of the guys,” Magpayo said. “They were able to execute a game plan at a high level.”
UCR went on an 11-0 run to gain separation in the first half. A steal and two free throws by Zyon Pullin – who finished with 15 points after scoring a career-high 23 in a loss to Long Beach State on Thursday – gave the Highlanders a double-digit lead midway through the first half, and a 3-pointer by Pickett helped the Highlanders build a 37-22 lead at halftime.
The Highlanders never let the Titans cut the margin to single digits in the second half, which was a talking point at halftime as Fullerton has two double-digit comebacks this season. But the Titans shot just 28.6% overall, well below their season average (46%). And Anosike, the Big West’s leading scorer (17.5 ppg), was held in check on 3-for-9 shooting.
“Recently, we’ve been emphasizing closing out games and putting a complete 40 minutes together,” Pickett said. “We’ve had some learning experiences early in the year where we hadn’t put together a full 40, so just want to keep building in that area.”
Taylor said not “playing with a purpose” prevented his team from making a comeback.
“That really bothered us and it showed itself in the start of the game,” Taylor said. “As the game went on, it just seemed like they had a better edge than this group had.”
For the second straight game, the Highlanders played in a mostly empty arena. Spectators aren’t allowed at UCR home games for the remainder of the month due to COVID-19 precautions. Fans will be back on Tuesday when UC Davis comes to SRC Arena. Fullerton hosts Cal Poly (SLO) on Thursday.
But on Saturday, the Highlanders brought their own energy to the arena.
Magpayo applauded his bench players for their support but said “we need (the fans). I think it will help us come Tuesday when they get back.”
