SAN DIEGO — The Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball team whittled a 23-point deficit to one point, but the Titans’ latest comeback attempt came up just short in an 81-76 loss to UC San Diego on Saturday afternoon.
Fullerton, which remains in the hunt for the Big West Conference title, trailed 52-29 at halftime but a Tray Maddox Jr. 3-pointer capped a 12-2 run that got the Titans within 77-76 with 2:04 left.
UCSD’s Francis Nwaokorie converted a layup with 1:40 left, then Fullerton turned the ball over on its next two possessions. The Titans were still down by just three points when Damari Milstead missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw attempt with 11 seconds left. Nwaokorie made a pair of free throws after that, then Fullerton’s Jalen Harris missed a pair of jumpers in the final seconds.
Fullerton (17-9 overall, 10-3 Big West) is trying to chase down first-place Long Beach State (16-10, 10-2), which played late Saturday night at UC Irvine. UCSD (12-15, 0-0) is playing a Big West schedule, but because it is still transitioning to Division I, its results don’t count toward the conference standings.
UCSD was on fire in the first half, moving the ball crisply (16 assists) and shooting 72% (21 for 29) overall, including a 10-for-15 mark from 3-point range to open its big halftime lead. Fullerton was 11 for 20 from the field and 1 for 5 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.
The Titans, who erased a 10-point second-half deficit to edge UCI on Thursday, came out with more energy on both ends of the court after the intermission. They forced 10 turnovers in the second half and held UCSD to a 2 for 7 mark from outside.
Fullerton was still trailing by 23 with 13:04 left, but E.J. Anosike and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. fueled a 12-0 run that cut the margin to 65-54 with 10:16 left. A Jake Killingworth 3-pointer temporarily slowed the threat, but Fullerton kept whittling the deficit.
An Anosike layup got Fullerton within single digits with 5:26 left, and a Milstead 3-pointer cut the margin to five points with 3:40 left. Jalen Harris added another basket before Maddox’s 3-pointer got Fullerton within one point.
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Anosike, Maddox and Milstead each had 18 points, with Anosike finishing 9 for 10 from the field with five rebounds and four assists. Milstead was 7 for 13 from the field with four assists and three rebounds. Maddox shot 6 for 9 off the bench, going 4 for 6 from 3-point range.
Nwaokorie had a season-high 23 points and nine rebounds to pace UCSD, which shot just 34.8% in the second half (8 for 23) with just two assists. Toni Rocak added 20 points and six rebounds.
Fullerton defeated UCSD, 83-80, on Jan. 22 at Titan Gym.
UP NEXT
Fullerton hosts UC Riverside on Thursday night before closing the regular season with a home game against UC Davis on Saturday, March 5.