Cal State Fullerton pushes past Vermont in double OT

FULLERTON — The Cal State Fullerton males’s basketball workforce discovered one other strategy to win on Sunday evening.

The Titans overcame early foul hassle and struggles on the free throw line to tug out a 94-85 win in double additional time towards Vermont at Titan Health club.

“It was a heckuva win for us,” Fullerton coach Dedrique Taylor mentioned. “One other alternative for this membership to win a distinct fashion of basketball.”

Just like the Titans, Vermont was an NCAA Event qualifier final season after going 28-5, together with 17-1 within the America East Convention.

The Catamounts have been in place to beat Fullerton on the finish of the primary additional time, however Nick Fiorillo missed the second of two free throws with 0.9 seconds left and the sport continued on.

The Titans (2-1) took their largest lead of the sport 87-83 on a three-point play by Jalen Harris with 1:01 left within the second additional time.

After a missed 3-pointer on the opposite finish, Tory San Antonio made two free throws with 38.2 seconds left to increase the result in 89-83 and Fullerton continued to tug away down the stretch.

“That was an ideal workforce win, we actually needed to combat it out,” Harris mentioned. “It’s not nearly one individual, not nearly two folks, it’s about all 14-16 of us, and I believe all of us did a superb job protecting our spirits excessive and serving to one another out.”

The Titans have been searching for the second large upset of the weekend for an Orange County-based Massive West Convention workforce after UC Irvine beat No. 21 Oregon 69-56 on Friday evening in Eugene, Ore.

San Antonio carried the Titans within the first half, capturing 4 for five from 3-point vary and scoring 17 factors as Fullerton took a 37-36 lead into the break.

Fullerton performed a lot of the first half with out beginning heart Vincent Lee, who was known as for his second foul with 14:10 left within the half.

Lathaniel Bastian changed Lee and contributed eight first-half factors, but in addition missed 4 straight free throws halfway via the opening half.

Vermont took its largest lead of the primary half 30-23 on a contested dunk by Ileri Ayo-Faleye, however the Titans got here again with a 7-0 run sparked by a 3-pointer from Harris.

San Antonio made his fourth 3 of the half to maneuver Fullerton forward 35-34 with 58 seconds left.

“He does a little bit little bit of every little thing,” Taylor mentioned of San Antonio, who completed with a team-high 21 factors. “He can guard, he can defend, he can rebound and, clearly, he can rating.”

Bastian closed the primary half with a bounce hook that put the Titans on high 37-36 heading to the break.

Vermont scored the primary 11 factors of the second half and appeared headed for a one-sided win, however the Titans rallied again and tied the rating 52-52 on two free throws by Max Jones with 7:39 remaining.

Neither workforce led by multiple possession the remainder of the second half.

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. made a pair of free throws with 9.6 seconds remaining to place Fullerton forward 65-63, however Dylan Penn scored on a drive on the opposite finish to tie the rating and ship the sport to additional time.

“They’re a nightmare matchup as a result of they shoot the ball from all totally different spots on the ground and their level guard is their greatest put up participant,” Taylor mentioned of Vermont. “This group fought via all of that and made it their benefit.”