FULLERTON – Iman Lathan's 22-point effort propelled the Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team to its second straight win as the Titans defeated visiting Montana, 72-56, on Wednesday night at Titan Gym.
Fullerton improves to 2-4 on the season, while the Grizzlies drop to 2-4 this year.
Lathan delivered her fourth 20-point game of the season, while four other Titans reached double figures in scoring as Jordan Jackson poured in 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from behind the three-point line.
Redshirt sophomore forward Daeja Smith recorded her second double-double of the year with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while China Henderson scored 10 points and delivered five assists. Keimeshia Walker added 10 points, two assists and one steal.
Sophomore guard Lauren Nubla tallied a game-high and career-best eight assists in the win.
"What we are continuing to try to teach this group of players is to celebrate everyone's successes, and share in those successes, and if we can do that, we are going to continue to become something that is greater than what we can do by ourselves," head coach Daron Park said.
Fullerton shot a season-best 48.3 percent (29-of-60) from the floor and held Montana to a .328 shooting percentage. The Grizzlies boasted a 40-36 rebounding advantage but the Titans held a slight 11-9 advantage in second-chance points.
Fullerton produced 21 assists on 29 baskets and also totaled eight steals, scoring 17 points off the Grizzlies 17 turnovers.
Taylor Goligoski scored 17 points for Montana while Maddie Keast scored 11.
The Titans led 44-42 with 5:15 to play in the third quarter before unleashing a 12-1 run to end the period as Fullerton led 56-43 heading into the fourth. Lathan knocked down three buckets in that stretch while Smith and Dhanyel Johnson scored in the paint.
Cal State Fullerton led 35-30 at the half as Henderson and Walker led the way with eight points apiece.
The Titans took a 6-point, 24-18, lead in the second quarter after a 7-0 run was capped by a Lathan three-pointer. The Titans' advantage reached its peak at 31-24 with 4:15 remaining in the first half after Jackson drained a long distance basket.
Montana countered with a 6-0 run to close 31-30 with 1:12 to play, but a Smith steal and inside bucket as well as two made Titan free throws gave Fullerton its five-point advantage at the break.
The Titans' final game of a three-game homestand is at 4 p.m., Sunday as Cal State Fullerton hosts Loyola Marymount at Titan Gym.
Notes: Cal State Fullerton won its first game against Montana in six tries dating back to 1983…Iman Lathan's 22 points marked her fourth game scoring at least 20 points this season…Lauren Nubla's eight assists were a Titan season high as well as a career best for the sophomore guard…Daeja Smith's 11 points and 11 rebound marked the second double-double of her season…at the 2:56 mark of the third quarter, Jordan Jackson suffered an ankle sprain on a lay-up attempt and did not return to the game.