FULLERTON, Calif. --- Jackson Rowe recorded his second straight double-double as Cal State Fullerton wrapped up non-conference play with a 99-56 victory over Bethesda Friday night at Titan Gym.
"It's a good way to end the year," said Cal State Fullerton head coach Dedrique Taylor. "We did some things that we've been talking about doing in terms of practice. Rebounding the basketball, scored in the paint. Obviously free throw shooting we've got to continue to address and get better and improve but I thought, for the most part, our guys to start the game came out and played hard, with a purpose. I thought Jackson (Rowe) had an exceptional night tonight and I thought Davon Clare had an exceptional night as well. Some good things; some good momentum moving into conference play coming up on Thursday."
The Titans (6-7) had five players score in double figures, led by Tre' Coggins' 24 en route to victory over the Flames (6-8), who were held to 24.1 percent shooting including a 23.5 percent clip from beyond the arc.
Fullerton set a new program record on Friday night with 71 rebounds including 18 on the offensive glass. Jackson Rowe recorded his second straight double-double with 10 points and a Fullerton season-high 16 rebounds to go along with three assists and one blocked shot. Clare added 11 boards for his third straight game with double-digit rebounds. It was the second straight game the duo each grabbed double-digit rebounds in a game. As a team, the Titans grabbed 18 offensive rebounds which led to 19 second-chance points. It was the third straight game in which Fullerton grabbed double-digit offensive boards.
"I think that's one area that our ball club has taken to heart," said Taylor of the team's rebounding success. "They've executed beginning with the Nebraska-Omaha game and moving over to Portland. I think they are starting to understand how important it is to dominate. The team is just playing hard and creating a different level of energy."
After scoring the first point on a free throw by Rowe, the Titans fell behind for the first and only time on the night after Jarrell Tate hit a jumper in the paint to put the Flames up 2-1. Fullerton would then run off a 25-3 scoring run including an 18-0 spurt over 4:04 span to open up a big double-digit cushion and the Titans never looked back. Coggins drained three straight shots from beyond the arc during the 18-0 stretch and finished up the first half with 16 of his 24 points on 5-for-9 first-half shooting including 4-for-8 from distance.
The Titans led by as much as 46 points with 1:07 left in the game and led for all but 24 seconds. They also outscored Bethesda 48-16 in the paint.
Fullerton wraps up the non-conference part of the schedule with six wins and will open up Big West Conference action on Thursday, Jan. 5 when defending conference champions Hawai'i make the trip to Titan Gym. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. with the game being broadcast on ESPN3.
NOTES: Fullerton's previous record in total rebounds was 68, which was set against Central Michigan on Dec. 15, 1975... Friday night's matchup was the first ever meeting between Fullerton and Bethesda in regular season play. The game counted as an exhibition for the Flames while it counted toward Fullerton's non-conference slate… The Titans faced the Flames in an exhibition game on Nov. 6, 2015… The Titans had 12 players score on the night, a new season high… Loren Brill scored his first collegiate points on Friday, going 2-for-4 from the free throw line. He also grabbed a career best three rebounds and had two assists… Arkim Robertson set a new career high with 11 points, his first double-digit scoring game of his Fullerton career… The Titans had 25 assists on 37 made field goals, a new season high… Riley Dearring set a new career best with six points, four rebounds and one assist on nine minutes of action.
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