GRAND FORKS, N.D. — The Cal State Fullerton men's basketball team fell in the final minutes 66-60 to Utah Tech Saturday morning at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. put up a 21-point effort to lead the Titans, shooting 9-of-16 from the floor while also adding three steals and a pair of assists. Vincent Lee contributed 14 points and five rebounds, while Max Jones had 10 points, three rebounds and two assists. Jalen Harris had nine points for the Titans.
Fullerton led 60-58 following a Harris layup with 3:57 to go, but Utah Tech closed the game on an 8-0 run to secure the win. As a team, Fullerton shot 47.2% from the floor to the Trailblazers' 52.3%. The loss moves the Titans to 4-2 on the season.
The Titans fell behind 8-4 early in the first half, but a layup from Lee and a pair of three-pointers from Wrightsell Jr. gave Fullerton a 22-20 advantage. Wrightsell Jr. and Lee each added layups and Jones drained a triple to extend the Titans' lead to five, 31-26. Lee scored another basket in the paint to put the Titans up seven, 33-29, but the Trailblazers hit a three before halftime to bring the score to 33-29 for Fullerton at the break.
Lee powered home a dunk and Jones added a lay-in to give the Titans a 39-33 lead three minutes into the second half. The Trailblazers fought back to take a 42-41 lead, but a Harris layup and Tory San Antonio three put the Titans back up three, 47-44.
Teams traded baskets, as a jumper from Wade and another from Wrightsell Jr. gave the Titans a 54-52 advantage with 7:45 remaining. Utah Tech scored six of the next eight points to go up 58-56 before another jumper from Wrightsell Jr. and a driving layup from Harris put the Titans up 60-58 with 3:57 to go. But the Titans could not close out the Trailblazers, as Utah Tech scored the game's final eight points to take the 66-60 win.
The Titans remain in Grand Forks to take on the North Dakota Fighting Hawks tomorrow, Sunday, November 27th, at 11:00 a.m. PT.
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