FULLERTON, Calif. – Junior Chante Miles scored a career-high 21 points to lead a quartet of Titans in double figures as Cal State Fullerton handed host Columbia a 80-54 defeat on Friday afternoon in New York, N.Y., to record its first win of the 2013-14 season.
Miles and redshirt sophomore Hailey King (15 points) both scored career highs and combined to score 36 points to lead the Titans (1-3). The victory gives head coach Daron Park his first win as a head coach.
Tori Oliver and Carolyn Binder led the way for Columbia (1-3), each going for 11 points. Courtney Bradford also chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds for the Lions.
Fullerton also got double-digit efforts from junior Kathleen Iwuoha (14 points and five rebounds) and senior Alex Thomas (12 points) as the Titans outscored Columbia, 12-10 in the paint, and outrebounded the Lions, 45-33. Six Fullerton players finished with at least four rebounds, including 10 boards from freshmen Samantha Logan. Logan (nine points) fell just one point shy of a double-double. Natalie Williams also added six points, four rebounds, and two blocked shots.
Cal State Fullerton's defense forced 11 turnovers and held the Lions to just 30 percent (18-60) shooting for the game, including a 9-0 run in the opening half en route to a 40-30 lead at the break.
The Titans and Lions traded baskets at the beginning of the game, but after a King mid-range jumper gave Fullerton a 10-9 lead with 15:55 left the Titans pulled away. The Lions got to within four points at 28-24 with just under six minutes to play in the first, but would come no closer. A 14-5 run to open the second half by Cal State Fullerton put the Titans ahead by 19 points and they never looked back. The Titans would extend their lead to as many as 28 points with 2:57 left.
The Titans shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the floor as Fullerton's offense exploded for their season high in points. Fullerton also knocked down 8-of-20 attempts from three-point range.
Cal State Fullerton will look to start its first winning streak of the year when it takes on Toledo next Friday at 12 p.m. in the Saint Mary's College Hilton Classic in Moraga, Calif.
Notes: Daron Park records his first win as a head coach…Fullerton recorded its first win in New York in the program's history…the Titans are now 2-2 all-time against Columbia and have won two straight contests versus the Lions (last, Dec. 31, 2012 61-49 at Titan Gym)... Cal State Fullerton is now 2-2 all-time versus Ivy League opponents…. The Titans set a new season high for points in game this season (previous high of 57)… also shot a season best 48 percent from the field…first time this season three or more Titans have scored in double figures…Samantha Logan sets a new career-high in rebounds with 10.