Big Man Leads Titans Back to Victory

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal State Fullerton found a formula for winning on the road Saturday night.

The Titans shot 54% from the floor and got a career-high 28-point performance from power forward John Williams to hand Cal Poly San Luis Obispo an 82-77 loss, the first for the Mustangs in the Big West Conference in four games.

“Williams was great,” Cal Poly Coach Jeff Schneider said. “We double-teamed him and dropped off their other big man. We did everything we could, but still couldn’t stop him.”

Fullerton (9-5, 2-2) also made 21 of 33 free throws to 12 of 20 for the Mustangs. Cal Poly (9-7, 3-1) thrives on its three-point shooting game, and the Mustangs made their first four from long range, but then managed only three of the next 20.

But the bottom line was Cal Poly’s inability to control Williams, who said he liked the free-wheeling style of play produced by Cal Poly’s pressing defense. Williams made 12 of 17 shots, most of them from close range. “Williams really made it tough on us,” Cal Poly center Damien Levesque said. “We tried to keep the ball away from him, but he got to the ball before we could trap him, then went right through the trap. He made some tough shots.”

Titan Coach Bob Hawking said the Titans came into the game focusing on getting the ball to the front line. “It worked hand in glove,” Hawking said. “Williams certainly had a big game.”

Senior Ali Nayab started at point guard for the Titans, and Chris St. Clair moved to the second guard when Chris Dade was held out of the starting lineup because of what Hawking called “a minor team infraction.”

Nayab came through with 15 points, including seven of 10 at the free-throw line, and forward Mark Richardson had a season-high 10 points to go with eight rebounds. Dade finished with nine points in 24 minutes. Shanta Cotright had 23 points for Cal Poly.

All 3,281 seats in Mott Gym were sold the day before the game, and Schneider and Hawking thought the fans got their money’s worth.

“I thought it was a great college basketball game,” Schneider said. “Both teams played hard. Fullerton played as hard as any team we’ve played against this season.”

Hawking said it took that kind of effort.

“If you let them do what they like to do, it’s not going to be a contest,” Hawking said. “They can create havoc. Our 15 turnovers in the game probably was on the low side against them. Nayab and St. Clair both handled the point well.”

Nayab had a game-high seven assists.

The Mustangs hadn’t given up a three-point basket in either of their last two games, but the Titans connected on four in the first half in eight attempts.

Fullerton shot 57.7% from the field in the first half and made seven of nine shots during one stretch. Cal Poly made nine of its first 14 shots from the floor, but then cooled dramatically and finished the half shooting only 39%. The Mustangs were 29 of 68 for the game (43.6%).

Fullerton led, 40-38, at halftime, but Cal Poly went on a 12-0 run in the second half and led by eight points. Then the Titans came back with a 12-0 surge for a five-point lead with 3 1/3 minutes to play.

Reserve Dane Plock made a key three-point basket that put the Titans ahead, 76-71, but Cal Poly was still only two points behind with 41 seconds left after a fast-break layup by Cotright. Nayab made four of six free throws and Richardson one of two down the stretch, and Cal Poly couldn’t get the big three-point shot it needed.