Cal State Fullerton's Ralphy Holmes and Anthony Bolton each contributed
16 points on the night, but host Idaho used its advantage from the free
throw line to defeat the Titans, 56-49, in a Big West Conference game
on Thursday night in Moscow, Idaho.
The Titans fell to 5-11 overall and 3-3 in the Big West while the Vandals
improved to 7-9, 3-4 in league play.
Idaho went to the line 21 times on the night, making 16 of those, and
producing a huge advantage in an otherwise evenly played game. Cal State
Fullerton went to the free throw line just six times on the night, making
three.
Holmes was 7-of-15 from the floor and added three rebounds, while Bolton
was 6-of-11 from the field with five boards and three steals in 40 minutes.
Idaho was led by Tyrone Hayes, who poured in a game-high 17 points and
added five rebounds and four blocks. Dwayne Williams was next with nine
points as all eight Vandals who took the floor scored at least two points.
The Titans, who played only seven players on
the night, shot 45.5 percent from the floor, including a 12-for-24 (.500)
showing in the second half. The Vandals' stats were almost identical as
they hit on 48.7 percent from the field – 58 percent for the second
half.
Cal State Fullerton was within three points at 21-18 at the half, but
Idaho opened the second half with a flurry. The Vandals built on their
three-point halftime lead until 7:57 remained when Rashaad Powell hit
a transition lay-in to put the Vandals up 15.
A lot of the difference came from Hayes, who scored 12 of his game-leading
17 points in the first nine minutes of the second half.
After riding Hayes for their late 15-point lead, the rest of the Vandals
did what they could to hold onto that lead. They made free throws long
enough so that they lost significance.
By the time Dwayne Williams broke a string of 11 consecutive free throws,
only three seconds were left, and the Vandals were clutching to a seven-point
lead that won the game.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 25) as they take
on Utah State at 7:05 p.m. MST.
