Unbeaten Titans to Be Severely Challenged

Fullerton, CA -- After a 10-day break, the Titans will be back in action to risk their 3-0 start on a rugged road trip that will take them to the Universities of Arizona and Montana

UPCOMING

• Wed., Nov. 28 -- at Arizona, McKale Center, (14,545), 7:30 p.m. MST - FSN Arizona TV
• Fri., Nov. 30 -- at Montana, Dahlberg Arena (7,500), 7 p.m. MST
• Sat., Dec. 8 -- at Central Michigan, Rose Arena (5,200), 6:30 p.m. EST
• Mon., Dec. 17 -- Southern Utah, Titan Gym (4,000), 7:05 p.m.

IN A NUTSHELL: After a 10-day break, the Titans will be back in action to risk their 3-0 start on a rugged road trip that will take them to the Universities of Arizona and Montana. Fullerton is only 3-20 all-time vs. Pac-10 teams but one of those wins came in Tucson on their last visit on Dec. 1, 1983, by a 67-66 score. Senior guard Leon Wood led the Titans against first-year Head Coach Lute Olson, who went on to have “modest success” with the Wildcats, taking a 589-187 career record into this his 25th season. Fullerton is only 1-6 vs. Montana but won the last meeting, 80-73, on Dec. 3, 1996, in Missoula.

AUDIO: All Titan games can be heard live on the internet on computers with sound cards. Listeners may access the CSF Athletics home page at www.fullertontitans.com and follow the links. Mel Franks will be the announcer at Arizona and Montana.

VIDEO: All Titan home games and road Big West Conference games are available via videostreaming on a subscription basis. Details are available on the Big West website at www.bigwest.org.

PROBABLE STARTERS:

No. Name Ht. Yr. ppg r/apg Quick Notes
F 5 Frank Robinson** 6-4 Sr. 15.7 7.3r 9 rebounds in each of first two games
F 34 Marcus Morgan* 6-5 Jr. 3.7 4.3r Is 5-for-7 from the floor
C 42 Andrew Green* 6-6 Sr. 7.7 4.3r Made first Titan career start vs. Cal State L.A.
G 1 Josh Akognon 6-1 Jr. 25.3 2.0r Has made 18 of 38 3-point field goal tries
G 15 Junior Russell 5-6 Jr. 4.3 5.0a Scored 11 points with 4 assists at Soutern Utah

OFF THE BENCH:

G 54 Marcus Crenshaw* 5-10 Jr. 7.3 1.3a Made 4 of 7 3-pointers vs. CSU Bakersfield
C 21 Kenneth Alexander* 6-6 Sr. 10.3 2.7r Career-high 17 points off the bench at Southern Utah
G 22 Ray Reed* 5-11 Sr. 6.3 1.7a Made 3 of 5 shots vs. CSU Bakersfield
G 11 Marcio Lassiter 6-2 Jr. 0.7 0.7a Played 8 minutes vs. CSU Bakersfield
C 13 Eddie Lima 6-9 Jr. 4.3 2.3r Made 3 of 4 shots vs. CSU Bakersfield

DISABLED LIST:

F 2 Scott Cutley* 6-5 Sr. -- -- Fractured right ankle on Oct. 13

*letters earned

SERIES HISTORIES: The Titans are 1-2 vs. Arizona, winning in Tucson in Lute Olson’s first season as head coach, 67-66, on Dec. 1, 1983. The losses came in January and November of 1976, both in Tucson. The Titans are 1-6 vs. Montana, 1-3 in Missoula with a win in the last meeting, 80-73, on Dec. 3, 1996, under Coach Bob Hawking.

ABOUT THE WILDCATS: Arizona is a national Top 20 team and took a 2-1 record (lost at home to Virginia) into a Nov. 21 home game vs. Adams State and has a contest at Kansas on Nov. 25.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Montana has been picked to win the Big Sky Conference championship. It takes a 3-1 record (only loss at Gonzaga) into a weekend tournament in Spokane where it will face Washington State, Air Force and Mississippi Valley State.

THE COACH: Bob Burton is 71-51 in his fifth year at Cal State Fullerton and career. At .582, Burton has the second best winning percentage of any Titans’ head coach, trailing only Bobby Dye (109-78, .583). His four previous 4 & 5-game records at Fullerton: 1-3 & 2-3 in 2003-04; 2-2 & 3-2 in 2004-05; 3-1 & 4-1 in 2005-06; and 4-0 & 4-1 last season.

ON THE ROAD: Under Bob Burton, the Titans have made dramatic strides as a road team. In the past three seasons plus this year’s opener they are 29-25 (.537) away from Titan Gym. In the previous 10 seasons the combined road record was 30-115. Burton’s total CSF road record is 32-36.

FRIENDLY CONFINES: Under Coach Bob Burton, the Titans are 39-15 (.722) in Titan Gym.

AKOGNON VS. THE CATS: Josh Akognon has averaged 5 points in three previous games against Arizona in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. He did not play in a fourth game. He is 5-for-24 from the floor including 4-for-14 from 3-point range.

SURVEY SAYS: Cal State Fullerton was a consensus third-place prediction at the annual Big West Conference Basketball Media Day on Oct. 24 behind UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly SLO. The Titans were third in the media poll and tied for third with Pacific in the coaches poll.