TSN Preview: Titans at 49ers

Cal State Fullerton goes on the road for a crucial matchup against the arch-rival 49ers of Long Beach State. The Sports Network provides a preview of tonights game.

DATE & TIME: Thursday, January 18th, 10:05 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Walter Pyramid (5,000) -- Long Beach, California. Television: Local. Home Record: CSF 9-0, LBSU 6-0. Away Record: CSF 4-3, LBSU 4-4. Neutral Record: CSF 0-0, LBSU 1-1. Conference Record: CSF 4-1, LBSU 2-1. Series Record: Long Beach State leads, 55-36.

GAME NOTES: Coming off their first loss in over a month, the Long Beach State 49ers will try regroup and rebound tonight, as the take on the Cal State Fullerton Titans in Big West Conference play from the Walter Pyramid. Since losing out to Temple back on December 3rd, the 49ers had ripped off nine straight wins, but that streak came to an end in a 90-83 setback at Cal State Northridge on Saturday. Despite the loss, the team still stands at a solid 11-5 overall and 2-1 in conference play. LBSU also returns back home, where it has won eight games in a row, including all six this season. As for the Titans, they have also enjoyed a good amount of success this season and they have won two straight and eight of their last nine games overall. The team was last in play on Saturday, when it trounced UC Riverside by a score of 98-58. With the win, CSF improved to 13-3 overall and 4-1 in conference, marking its best start since the 1983-84 team opened with the same marks. As far as the all-time series goes, LBSU owns a 55-36 advantage over CSF, including wins in the last four meetings.

The Titans are one of the top scoring teams in the nation this season, averaging a healthy 86.6 ppg on 47.9 percent shooting from the field. Bobby Brown currently leads the team in scoring with a solid 20.7 ppg and he has also done a nice job in setting up his teammates with club-high 5.5 apg to his credit. Scott Cutley has been a force in the low post and he is nearly averaging a double-double with 15.0 ppg and a team-best 9.0 rpg. Frank Robinson contributes 12.2 ppg and 5.7 rpg, while Justin Burns adds 12.0 ppg and 7.2 rpg. In the team's last game, Burns notched a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds in leading CSF to a 40-point win over UC Riverside. Robinson posted 15 points and nine rebounds, while Brown recorded a double- double of his own, with 14 points and 10 assists. The Titans shot a solid 55.6 percent from the floor in the game and dominated on the boards 56-31.

The 49ers enter the game scoring a solid 74.3 ppg on 41.3 percent shooting from the field, with three players averaging in double figures. Aaron Nixon leads the squad with 16.4 ppg and he is also grabbing 4.6 rpg. Kejuan Johnson ranks second on the team with 14.3 ppg and 3.6 apg, while Sterling Byrd contributes 12.7 ppg and 6.4 rpg. In the squad's previous outing, Johnson poured in 23 points and recorded three steals, but it wasn't quite enough for LBSU in a seven-point setback versus CS Northridge. Byrd logged 18 points and eight rebounds and Nixon finished with 16 points in the losing cause. The 49ers were done in by poor defense, as they allowed CS Northridge to shoot 53.6 percent from the field in the contest.

Both teams have had a good amount of success up to this point and this game could go a long way in determining who wins the BWC. Fullerton however, simply has too many weapons for LBSU to handle and it should be able light up the scoreboard en route to the win tonight.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cal State Fullerton 89, Long Beach State 84

This story originally published on The Sports Network.