BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Fullerton men's basketball opened conference play with a 73-67 win on Thursday night at the Icardi Center in Bakersfield.
E.J. Anosike lead the way for the Titans with 21 points and 7 rebounds, recording his fourth game with at least 20 points this season. Vincent Lee also added 20 points off of 7-10 shooting from the floor.
It was a slow start for both teams offensively, but then Latrell Wrightsell Jr. got hot from behind the arc. He made back-to-back threes to give the Titans a 15-9 lead early.
.@LJWrightsell for 3⃣! #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/bVjsW2jjRh
— Titans Men's Basketball (@FullertonMBB) December 31, 2021
Bakersfield would go on a 7-0 run to make it a 23-22 lead for the Titans with five minutes to go in the first half. The teams would then trade buckets for the remainder of the half, with Fullerton taking a 32-31 lead into the break.
Defense was the name of the game in the first half with the Titans holding the Roadrunners to 41% from the field in the first half and 0-8 from behind the arc.
The Titans opened things up in the second half. Anosike and Lee went to work down low for the Titans, teaming up to give Fullerton a 38-36 lead early in the second half.
.@vincemikelee to @EAnosike55 = and-1 �� #TusksUP pic.twitter.com/mwbKee5nwH
— Titans Men's Basketball (@FullertonMBB) December 31, 2021
Lee then threw down a monstrous dunk to give the Titans a five point lead, 43-38 which eventually became a double-digit lead 49-39 with 11 minutes remaining in the game.
.@vincemikelee put him on a poster��#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/EOU4ehw6cG
— Titans Men's Basketball (@FullertonMBB) December 31, 2021
Fullerton would extend their lead to a game-high 14 points with just over five minutes left in the game when Anosike made a layup to give the Titans a 62-48 lead.
CSU Bakersfield would make a couple threes down the stretch to make it close, but Fullerton were able to sink their foul shots enroute to a 73-67 win.
Up Next: Fullerton returns home to host Long Beach State in their conference home opener on January 4.
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