Ralphy Holmes' bucket with one second remaining in overtime lifted visiting
Cal State Fullerton to an 85-83 victory over Oregon State in the first
round of the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday night in Corvallis,
Ore.
The Titans, who improved to 20-10 overall, move into the second round
to face San Francisco on Friday (March 18) at 7 p.m. at War Memorial Gym
in San Francisco, Calif. The Dons defeated Denver, 69-67, Wednesday night
to advance. It was the first-ever win for Fullerton at the NIT in three
appearances and only the third victory in 22 chances against a Pacific-10
Conference school.
Oregon State finished its season 17-15.
The Beavers led by three points at 81-78 after a three-pointer by J.S.
Nash with 2:37 remaining, but the Titans answered back just under a minute
later as Holmes hit a three-pointer of his own to tie the game.
Both teams missed close-in shots on their next trips down the court, but
junior Jamaal Brown gave Fullerton a two-point advantage with his tip-in
with :30 on the clock.
Oregon State went for the tie, trying to force a second overtime period
as Lamar Hurd hit a lay-up to tie it at 83-83.
Out of a 30-second timeout, Holmes got the ball, backed down his defender
and bounced the game winner in off the rim as the buzzer sounded to give
the Titans the victory.
Fullerton led 51-35 at the break led by Bobby Brown's 21-point first-half
effort and had a chance to win it in regulation but Jamaal Brown's tip
in with less than five seconds remaining was waved off when it was ruled
that Yaphett King stepped on the end line on the inbounds pass, turning
the ball over.
Oregon State's Nick DeWitz then missed a three-pointer as time expired
to send the game into the extra period.
Three Titans finished with double-doubles as Jamaal Brown (11 points,
12 rebounds), King (11 points, 11 rebounds), and Ralphy Holmes (27 points,
13 rebounds) led the way for the offense.
Bobby Brown, who hit five consecutive three-pointers at one stretch in
the first half to give the Titans a 15 point advantge, finished with 27
points on 9-of-21 shooting.
Davis Lucas led OSU with 26 points, while DeWitz (18 points, 13 rebounds),
Nash (15 points), and Chris Stephens (12 points) also finished in double
figures.
Cal State Fullerton won despite shooting only 38 percent from the field
to Oregon State's 50 percent. The Titans held a 52-42 advantage on the
boards.
