Cal State Fullerton at San Diego
Dec. 7, 2016 | 7 p.m.
San Diego, Calif. | Jenny Craig Pavilion
TV/Live Stream: TheW.tv
Live Stats: FullertonTitans.com
Audio: FullertonTitans.com
Series Record: Cal State Fullerton leads 19-11
SAN DIEGO – Cal State Fullerton opens this week Wednesday on the road as the Titans head to the Jenny Craig Pavilion to take on San Diego.
OPPONENTS & HISTORY
San Diego | 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | Jenny Craig Pavilion
The Titans head to San Diego on Wednesday to face their second straight opponent out of the West Coast Conference. The Toreros are coming off an 80-65 victory over Northern Arizona on the road. San Diego has won three of its last five games after dropping three straight to start the year. The Toreros are currently shooting .354 from beyond the arc with four players shooting the 3-ball at a better than 40-percent clip. They also enter the game with the reigning WCC Player of the Week in Brett Bailey. The senior forward averaged 21.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in two games last week, helping San Diego earn a split. Bailey has now scored 17 points or more in six straight games for San Diego.
Head-To-Head:
The Titans and Toreros will square off for the 31st time all time with Fullerton having won three straight in the series.
Last Meeting:
Cal State Fullerton defeated the Toreros, 67-55, last season in the Titans home opener at Titan Gym. Fullerton had four players score in double figures while the defense held the Toreros to 37.5 percent shooting from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arc. Tre' Coggins scored 12 points in the game while Lionheart Leslie added 10 in the win.
Southern Utah | 6 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10 | Titan Gym
The Titans will close the week at Titan Gym as Southern Utah comes to visit for the first time since Dec. 17, 2007; a 99-63 Titans victory. The Thunderbirds will head to Loyola Marymount on Thursday before tangling with the Titans on Saturday night
Head-To-Head:
The Titans and Thunderbirds will face off for the seventh time on Saturday. Fullerton has yet to lose to Southern Utah since the teams first met back on Dec. 28, 1968.
Last Meeting:
Cal State Fullerton upended the Thunderbirds in Cedar City, Utah last season, 80-66 on Nov. 24, 2015. Tre' Coggins and Khalil Ahmad each poured in 20-plus as Fullerton earned its third straight win to start the 2015-16 season 3-1.
FOLLOW THE TITANS
Fans can keep up with the latest in Titans athletics by following us on Facebook (FullertonTitans), Twitter (@FullertonTitans) and Instagram (FullertonTitans). In addition, the men's basketball team has established its own Twitter and Instagram presence: @FullertonHoops.
LAST TIME OUT - CAL STATE FULLERTON 78, PACIFIC 77
Lionheart Leslie drove the paint on Fullerton's last possession of the game and drew a foul with the Titans down by one with three seconds left. Leslie drilled a pair of free throws to complete a 20-point second half comeback for the Titans and give Fullerton a 78-77 victory over the Tigers at Titan Gym.
Leslie matched his career high with 21 points on Saturday night, going 8-for-12 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line including the final two of the night to ice the game.
The Titans trailed 61-41 with 12 minutes left in the game and went on to outscore the Tigers 37-18 in the final 12 minutes, getting 12 points from Leslie and eight from Tre' Coggins in that stretch as both players tied for the team lead with 21 points.
Fullerton forced six Tigers turnovers in the final 12 minutes of the game and eight overall in the second half after going to a full-court press defense for the duration of the game.
COMEBACK KIDS
The last time the Titans overcame a 20-point deficit to win a game was January 7, 2016 at UC Riverside. Fullerton trailed 49-29 with 17:54 left in the second half before mounting a comeback and scoring a 79-73 victory on the road against the Highlanders.
HEART OF A LION
Senior guard Lionheart Leslie had one of his best games as a Titan in Saturday's victory over Pacific. He scored 17 of his career high 21 points in the second half and set a new career best with eight field goals as he went 8-for-12 from the field. Leslie was 8-for-9 on his two-point attempts as he missed all three 3-pointers he attempted. He was also tied for second on the team with five rebounds in the victory.
STEADY AT THE TOP
Redshirt senior Tre' Coggins was led the Titans in scoring for the sixth time this year and 18th time in his two seasons at Fullerton after scoring 21 points against Pacific.
FACEGUARDING
Kyle Allman, wearing a face mask to deal with a broken nose suffered at the Global Sports Classic, came off the bench for the first time this season against Pacific and scored 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting and sank all four of his free throw attempts in 21 minutes, dishing out a team-high four assists. He scored half his points in the final 12 minutes of the game when the Titans erased a 20 point deficit to secure the win. Allman has now led the team in assists four times this season and ninth time in his career.
TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL
Fullerton had 10 turnovers in Saturday's win over Pacific, the fewest the team has committed in a game this season. They committed just two turnovers in the second half.
ON DECK FOR THE TITANS
The Titans will host Southern Utah Saturday night at Titan Gym.