FULLERTON — Two men’s basketball teams that had nowhere to go but up this season met for the first time on Thursday night.

Cal State Fullerton kept its surprising ascension alive with a 71-61 victory over Long Beach State in the Big West Conference matchup at Titan Gym.

Long Beach and Fullerton were the bottom two teams in the Big West a year ago. LBSU finished the season with 15 consecutive losses and missed out on the Big West Tournament for the first time in 21 years. The Titans lost their final 12 games and stayed home for a second straight year.

But both teams are vastly improved with rebuilt rosters this season.

One of the new arrivals is Fullerton senior guard Joshua Ward, who led the way with 21 points, nine rebounds and four steals.

“Their intent was clear from the start,” Fullerton coach Dedrique Taylor said of his team. “They were not going to let whomever come in here and have their way, and their defensive energy and intent then fueled us offensively. When we’re that purposeful and that intentional with what we’re wanting to do from start to finish, I like our chances.”

Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro scored 10 of his 16 points in the first first half and Jaden Henderson scored all 10 of his off the bench in the opening half for the Titans (9-12 overall, 4-5 Big West), who have won three of their past four at home.

Gavin Sykes scored 20 points and Rob Diaz III was the only other player in double figures for LBSU (8-12, 4-4) with 15 points.

Long Beach came in on a three-game winning streak.

The Titans came out of halftime with a 37-29 advantage after leading by as many as 14 in the first half.

Long Beach was then blanked for the first 3½ minutes of the second half with two shot clock violations, but the Titans could only extend their lead by four points.

LBSU ultimately went the first six minutes of the second half without a field goal, allowing Fullerton to extend its lead to 44-30.

Long Beach made a couple of pushes to get the deficit back to single digits, but every time Fullerton had an answer.

The visitors made their final push to cut the lead to 60-50 on a three-point play by Sykes with 5:44 left, but the Titans responded with a 6-0 run.

Taylor said the largest home crowd of the season was a factor.

“They came out and they supported,” Taylor said. “They were loud and they provided us with a different level of energy from the start. The energy was much appreciated and much needed. If we can harness that and continue to move forward, I think we can be good.”

The Titans, who were coming off single-digit losses to UC Davis and UC Riverside on the road last week, went with a different starting lineup, inserting Davis White in at guard in place of fellow freshman Bryce Cofield.

Fullerton forced three turnovers in the first 2:45 to surge out to an 8-2 lead.

“Defense wins games,” De La Cruz Monegro said.

Long Beach had just committed its sixth turnover in the first six minutes when the Titans extended their lead to double digits on a 3-pointer by Ward for a 15-4 advantage with 13:40 still left in the first half.

Henderson checked into the game for Fullerton and hit a pull-up jumper and then a 3-pointer to extend the lead back to double digits at 22-12.

The Titans led by as many as 14 before Sykes had back-to-back three-point plays to cut the deficit to 11.

Isaiah Lewis drilled a 3-pointer with 1:10 left to make it an eight-point margin and Fullerton took that 37-29 lead to halftime.

Neither team shot the ball well from 3-point range in the first half, however.

Long Beach was 2 for 13 and the Titans were 3 for 14.

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