November 7, 2007

UCI, CSF win exhibitons
Men's basketball: Both open seasons on Friday.
Special to the Register

Josh Akognon scored 21 points and Frank Robinson added 15 Tuesday night to lead Cal State Fullerton to a 78-58 men's basketball exhibition victory over Biola University.

Freshman guard Luke Duperron came off the bench to lead the NAIA Eagles with 17 points. Forwards Danny Jones and Rocky Hampton each tallied 9 points and Jones led all rebounders with 10.

Fullerton led by only four points at the half, 35-31, but opened the second half with a 21-8 surge over the first eight minutes for a comfortable 17-point lead at 56-39. The Titans never trailed in the game after a 4-0 start but saw a 14-point first-half lead dwindle to 2 points on a couple of occasions, the last at 35-33 after Biola’s Andrew Schroeder scored the first basket of the second half.

Akognon, a transfer from Washington State playing for the first time since the 2005-06 season, hit 8 of 21 shots but only 3 of 12 from 3-point range. Robinson scored 10 of his points in the second half on 4 of 6 shooting.

Fullerton made only 7 of 26 3-pointers (.269) for the game while the Eagles made only 2 of 14. Biola committed 23 turnovers as Fullerton extended its defense and came up with 15 steals.

Fullerton opens its regular season at home Friday night vs. Cal State Bakersfield. Biola opens its season on Nov. 16 in the Carroll College Tournament in Helena, Mont.

UCI IRVINE 73, CAL BAPTIST 71

Senior forward Patrick Sanders scored 14 of his team-high 18 points in the second half to help lead UC Irvine over Cal Baptist in an exhibition game Tuesday night at Crawford Court.

The Anteaters built a 26-15 lead midway through the first half before the Lancers went on a 21-4 run to take a 36-30 lead at halftime. Junior forward Matt Gonzales scored 12 of his game-high 22 points in the opening half to lead Cal Baptist.

A jumper by Gonzales gave the Lancers a 49-36 lead with 14:36 remaining in the second half before the Anteaters went on a 17-2 run over the next 4 ½ minutes to take a 53-51 lead when senior guard Chuma Awaji hit a pair of free throws with 10:07 remaining. UCI extended the lead to 63-55 when junior guard Brett Lauer hit a three-pointer with 6:55 left.

Cal Baptist cut the margin to 72-71 on an alley-oop dunk by Carl Ross with 32 seconds remaining but Lauer hit one of two free throws with seven seconds left for a 73-71 UCI lead and the Lancers committed a turnover attempting to set up a final shot.

Junior forward Adam Rodenberg, who was 7 of 10 from the field, added 16 points for the Anteaters, Awajihad 12 and sophomore guard Chad DeCasas nine.

UCI opens the regular season Friday night hosting Loyola Marymount at 7:35 at Crawford Court.