Titans Rally to Beat Montana in OT, 79-76

Fullerton, Calif. - The Stomach Flu in addition to an assortment of other injuries, slowed Cal State Fullerton but the Titans rallied in overtime to beat Montana 79-76.

Fullerton, Calif. - Frank Robinson scored 20 points and Scott Cutley had a double-double with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds Thursday night as Cal State Fullerton rallied for a 79-76 overtime non-conference victory over Montana.

The Titans improved to 6-2 with their fourth home win in as many tries and completed a sweep of the Grizzlies, who lost to Fullerton at home, 100-91, on Nov. 30 to start a losing streak which has reached five in a row.

Jordan Hasquet had 23 points and 8 rebounds and Andrew Strait had a double-double for the Griz with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Ceylon Elgin-Taylor added 14 points but missed a pair of one-and-one free throws in the final minute of regulation to allow Fulleton to force overtime.

Montana had a 7-point lead at 62-55 with 1:50 to play in regulation after the second of consecutive baskets by Hasquet. Cutley made a free throw and Marcus Morgan had a dunk follow to make it 62-58 with 37 seconds left. Elgin-Taylor missed a bonus free throw and Robinson scored. Elgin-Taylor missed again with 31 seconds left and Cutley scored with 15 seconds left to tie the game at 62.

Strait had an open layup just before the buzzer but Morgan blocked it from behind just before the buzzer although the Montana bench wanted a goal-tending call.

Montana never led in overtime. Josh Akognon, who averages 21 points but didn't make a field goal, scored his only 2 points on two free throws to open overtime. Strait scored to tie it at 64 but Cutley made back-to-back buckets and the Titans got a big 3-pointer from Marcus Crenshaw for a 74-70 lead with 1:18 to play.

Several Fullerton players were battling stomach ailments and reserve forward Kenneth Alexander didn't even suit up.

Fullerton took the early lead in the game, hitting 6 of its first 9 3-pointers to build a 31-21 lead with 7:40 left in the half. Montana drew within 4 at intermission and opened an 11-point lead at 54-43 with 10:26 to play as the Titans went 23 minutes without a trey, missing nine in a row before Crenshaw hit one with 4:35 to play.

Fullerton hosts Wright State (5-3) at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Montana is off until Dec. 30 when it hosts Montana Tech.