ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Cal State Fullerton mustered up only 43 points on 27 percent shooting for the game, as New Mexico ran by the Titans 52-43 Tuesday night at The Pit.
Sophomore guard Chante Miles led all scorers with 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, as the only player on either team to score in double figures. Sophomore forward Kathleen Iwuoha poured in six points and led all players in rebounds with nine.
New Mexico (7-2) spread the ball around nicely, sporting three players with seven or more points, with forward Sara Halasz leading the charge with a team-high nine points. Guard Bryce Owens also proved to be vital for the Lobos, picking up eight points and six steals on the night.
Fullerton (2-6) missed on its first five field goals of the game, and didn't score until the 14:44 mark of the first half, when Mya Olivier's jumper snapped New Mexico's 7-0 run to begin the contest.
Neither team could find any offensive flow in the early going, as the two teams combined to turn the ball over 15 times in the first half. All it took was a quick 5-0 run for the Titans, capped-off by an Alex Thomas trey, and Fullerton only trailed 9-7 with 10:32 left in the half.
The Titans found a mini burst of offense once again, as they went on a 6-0 run, scoring on three consecutive possessions to at one point grab the lead at 16-15, with five minutes and change to play until halftime.
Despite shooting just 8-for-33 from the field for 24 percent during the first 20 minutes of play, Fullerton only trailed 21-18 at the break.
Both teams traded buckets back-and-forth at the start of the second half, but the Titans managed just one field goal conversion during a 10-minute stretch, and fell behind 39-25 near the seven-minute mark of the second half.
The Lobos eventually worked their lead to 46-27 with 3:32 left, before the Titans went on an impressive 16-5 run to close the game.
However, it was too little, too late, as the Titans have now dropped five straight games away from Titan Gym.
Fullerton continues it's three-game road swing this Sunday, as the Titans head to Spokane to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs at 2 p.m.
Game Notes: Cal State Fullerton's 43 points scored is the lowest offensive output for the Titans since scoring 39 at UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 9, 2012…Lauren Bushong's three blocks tonight gives her 59 for her career and moves her into a tie for sixth on the school's all-time block list…The Titans have dropped 12 consecutive games away from home going back to Jan. 18, 2012…Fullerton falls to 0-4 all-time vs. New Mexico.