SAN DIEGO — The Cal State Fullerton men's basketball team fell 80-57 Monday night at Viejas Arena in its season opener versus No. 19 San Diego State.
The Titans kept things close against the Aztecs in the first half, trailing by just seven points at the break before San Diego State outscored Cal State Fullerton 48-32 in the second to seal the win. On the night, the Titans shot 39% from the floor to the Aztecs' 54%, as San Diego State scored 22 points off of Fullerton turnovers and led throughout the contest.
Vincent Lee led the Titan offense with 11 points on three-of-five shooting, going five-of-six from the free-throw line while adding five rebounds, two assists and a block. Jalen Harris poured in 10 points while Max Jones added nine points and a pair of rebounds.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. contributed eight points, three boards and an assist while Grayson Carper had six points. Garrison Wade pulled down a team-high seven rebounds for the Titans to go with two blocks and three points.
Wrightsell Jr. put the Titans on the board to start things off with a pair of free throws before a steal and transition layup by Harris brought the score to 5-4, with the Aztecs on top early. An 11-2 San Diego State run, however, then put the Aztecs up 15-6.
Lee scored back-to-back baskets in the paint and Harris got a driving layup to fall, narrowing the Titans' deficit to five, 19-14, with 6:54 left in the half. Teams traded baskets, as a turnaround hook shot from Lee and a pullup jumper from Wrightsell Jr. kept the Titans within six, 26-20.
.@vincemikelee going to work ��#DevelopU | #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/A1VY07NBG7
— Titans Men's Basketball (@FullertonMBB) November 8, 2022
With under a minute left in the half, Wade posted an and-one and Wrightsell Jr. hit another jumper as the Titans trailed by seven, 32-25, at the break.
The Aztecs got off to a hot start in the second half, using a 15-4 run to take a 47-29 advantage four minutes in. Three free throws from Lee and one from Ibrahim Famouke Doumbia followed by a Harris layup later brought the score to 56-35 with the Aztecs on top.
Tough finish �� @jalenh2 #DevelopU | #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/b8XrcUDg52
— Titans Men's Basketball (@FullertonMBB) November 8, 2022
Back-to-back threes by Carper and Jones followed by another pair of Lee free throws capped an 8-0 Titan run to narrow their deficit, 63-43, with 8:29 remaining. Jones then completed a four-point play before the Aztecs extended their lead, 75-47.
Daeshawn Eaton hit a couple of jumpers, Lathaniel Bastian added a put-back layup and Carper hit a corner triple in the final minutes, but San Diego State went on to close out the 80-57 win.
Up next, the Titans take on Pepperdine at Titan Gym for their home opener on Friday, November 11, at 7:00 p.m. PT.
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