Seattle University allowed an early run by Cal State Fullerton, and the Titans were able to maintain their advantage the rest of the night to defeat the Redhawks, 67-55, Saturday night in a men’s collegiate basketball non-conference contest at Titan Gym.
Jack Crook (Manchester, England) scored a career-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 shooting from the free throw line. Isiah Umipig (Federal Way, Wash.) was held scoreless in the first half before collecting 11 points in the second half, and Jarell Flora (Bremerton, Wash.) finished with nine points on three three-pointers along with a team-high seven rebounds.
Crook scored four points early to help Seattle U take a 6-5 lead, but Alex Harris would score Cal State Fullerton’s first 10 points, including a three-pointer and a layup to help the Titans pull ahead, 10-6. After Flora made a three-pointer to close the Redhawk deficit to one at 10-9, Cal State Fullerton went on a 15-0 run, including three three-pointers, to extend its advantage to 25-9 with 10:52 remaining in the first half.
Crook converted on consecutive baskets to bring the Redhawks within 12, but Cal State Fullerton was able to start trading points with Seattle U, eventually taking its biggest lead of the first half at 17 points after a three-pointer by Moses Morgan and a layup by Joe Boyd. Shore Adenekan (London, England) earned back-to-back baskets, but the Titans held the Redhawks scoreless over the final three minutes of the half, and Lanerryl Johnson made a jump shot in the final minute as Cal State Fullerton took a 38-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Cal State Fullerton (8-7) increased its lead at the start of a second half on a putback by Steve McClellan and a jump shot by Harris, but the Redhawks scored the next five points on a three-pointer by Flora and two free throws from Crook. Umipig hit a three-pointer to bring Seattle U within 11 at 44-33 with 14:27 left in the second half, but that would be as close as the Redhawks would get, as the Titans would outscore the Redhawks 17-8 over the span of eight minutes thanks to the combination of Morgan and Johnson.
Harris led the Titans with 19 points and six assists, with Morgan earning 17 points and six rebounds and Johnson contributing 13 points and three assists. As a team, Cal State Fullerton shot 46.7 percent from the field (28-of-60), including 9-of-22 from behind the three-point line, and 2-of-3 from the free throw line. The Titans took care of the ball, committing only seven turnovers.
The Redhawks shot 45.8 percent from the field (22-of-48), including 6-of-15 from behind the three-point line, and 45.5 percent from the free throw line (5-of-11). Seattle U won the rebounding battle, 32-30, but committed 14 turnovers that led to 18 Titan points.
Seattle University (7-7) opens Western Athletic Conference play next Saturday, Jan. 10, against defending WAC regular season champion Utah Valley in Orem, Utah, starting at 7 p.m. local time (6 p.m. Pacific time). The Redhawks then host Texas-Pan American Thursday, Jan. 15, and New Mexico State Saturday, Jan. 17, with tickets for both games available through Ticketmaster and the KeyArena Box Office.