2015-16 Schedule (PDF)
FULLERTON, Calif. – Third-year head coach Dedrique Taylor announced the 2015-16 Cal State Fullerton men's basketball schedule on Tuesday, which is highlighted by six non-conference home games and includes visits from San Diego, Nevada and Loyola Marymount. In addition, the Titans will play six road games and will participate in the historic Far West Classic in Portland.
"This is a very challenging schedule that we are excited to announce, as we will face opponents from each of the premier conferences on the West Coast," Taylor said. "Our main goals are to bring quality opponents to Titan Gym in order test ourselves in non-conference play, as well as, create an engaging environment for our fans."
Season Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and single-game tickets will go on sale on Monday, Sept. 28.
Returning just one starter from last year's squad, senior Kennedy Esume, who averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in Fullerton's final 15 games of the year, Taylor will open up the season on the road for the third consecutive year as the Titans will make a quick trip to Loyola Marymount (Nov. 13) before facing former Big West foe Pacific (Nov. 17) in Stockton, Calif.
"Not only are our home games challenging, but we will face some difficult road tests early in the season. As we seek to become a stronger road team in conference play, it's important that we use the non- conference games to test our ability to compete and function in hostile environments. This schedule will give us that opportunity."
LMU has made five NCAA Tournament appearances in its history, but the Titans lead the overall series 13-11.
Pacific, another member of the WCC, completed last year with an overall record of 12-19 along with a 4-14 league mark. The Tigers lead the all-time series 48-37, and Pacific is the third-most played opponent in Fullerton history behind Long Beach State (111) and UC Irvine (101).
With Taylor returning four letterwinners, the incoming class should contribute immediately including junior point guard Lionheart Leslie and junior forward Samuel Williams. According to Taylor, Leslie is a true point guard that will help instantly, while Williams – who led junior colleges in the state of California in scoring (25.7 ppg) at Mt. San Jacinto Junior College – can score in a variety of ways.
Redshirts Tre' Coggins and Malcolm Brooks are poised to make an impact on the perimeter with their ability to shoot from long range.
Fullerton's home opener is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21 as the Titans will face their third-straight WCC foe as San Diego visits Titan Gym for the first time since 2010. The Toreros (15-16, 8-10 WCC) will return only one starter from last year, while Taylor and USD head coach Lamont Smith are familiar with each other. Smith spent four seasons (2008-12) alongside Taylor at ASU. Fullerton boasts an 18-10 advantage in the all-time series, including 9-2 at home.
Following their home opener, the Titans will travel to Southern Utah (10-19, 7-11) on Nov. 24. Fullerton is an undefeated 5-0 against the Thunderbirds including a 78-63 victory on Nov. 17, 2007 in its only trip to Cedar City.
In a return game from a season ago, Nevada and first-year head coach Eric Musselman will visit Titan Gym on Nov. 28. Nevada holds the 12-5 edge in the overall series, but the Titans snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Wolf Pack with a 65-55 win on Dec. 13, 2014 in Reno.
Fullerton will host Division II opponent Cal State Dominguez Hills for the second straight year on Dec. 1 before making one of three trips to the Northwest.
First Fullerton will play Seattle (Dec. 4) for the fourth time in the last three years as the overall series is now even at 2-2. Fullerton scored a 67-55 win against the Redhawks last year in Fullerton, but Seattle advanced to the Western Athletic Conference Tournament title game and found a place in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), the program's first Division I postseason tournament berth since decades 1969.
The Titans will stay in Seattle to play Washington on Dec. 6. One of two Pac-12 opponents on the schedule, the Huskies finished the year at 16-15 and 5-13 in league play.
Before making a second trip to the Northwest, Fullerton will play a second game against LMU, but this time at Titan Gym on Dec. 12. The Lions will be playing in Fullerton for the first time since 2003.
The Titans will then compete in the 2015 Far West Classic Invitational, hosted by Oregon State and University of Portland at Moda Center. The legendary 40-year holiday basketball tradition returns on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18-19.
Fullerton will play Oregon State (17-14, 8-10) on Friday, as the Beavers return all five starters including leading scorer Gary Payton II (13.4 ppg), followed by their fourth WCC opponent of the season – Portland (17-16, 7-11) on Saturday.
After a break for the holiday, the Titans will travel to Portland State (15-14, 9-10) on Dec. 29, and will host Cal State East Bay on Jan. 2 in their final non-conference contest.
For the third straight year, the Titans will open Big West Conference play against UC Riverside. Fullerton and the Highlanders will play at SRC Arena on Jan. 7.