It's fitting that a senior should shine on senior night.
Cal State Fullerton senior post Heather Hansen scored the Titans' final
five points of the night, including the go ahead free throw with 1:08
remaining in the game, as Fullerton defeated Cal State Northridge, 63-58,
in the home finale for the Titans on Saturday night at Titan Gym.
Fullerton improved to 7-18 overall, 5-9 in the Big West Conference, while
Northridge fell to 3-23 overall, 3-12 in league play.
Hansen was one of two Titans in double figures on the night, scoring 11
points and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds in the victory. Junior
Rochelle Ortega had a team-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting and seven
boards while blocking two shots.
The Matadors were led by Ofa Tulikihihifo, who had a game-high 25 points
and nine rebounds. She was the only Northridge player in double figures.
After a back and forth opening eight minutes, a 17-4 run by Cal State
Fullerton opened an eight point advantage with just under eight minutes
to play in the first half.
The two teams traded baskets for the next three minutes before the Matadors
ran off a 7-0 run of their own to climb to within one with just under
three minutes to play.
Both teams matched one another bucket-for-bucket until Hansen gave the
Titans a three-point halftime lead with a jumper with five seconds remaining
in the half.
Northridge regained the lead four minutes into the second half on a jumper
by Kristin Anderson in a hotly contested period that saw eight lead changes
and 10 ties.
Trailing by two points just 3:19 remaining, Ortega brought the Titans
even with a pair of free throws two minutes later, and Hansen gave Fullerton
the lead for good 50 seconds after that, hitting 1-of-2 from the line
for the 59-58 advantage.
The Titans shot just under 46 percent from the floor for the game and
won despite shooting 20 percent (3-for-15) from the floor in the second
half. Northridge shot 40.7 percent from the field for the game.
Cal State Fullerton held a slim edge on the boards, 33-32, and out shot
the Matadors from the free throw line, .792 to .600.
The Titans return to action on Thursday (March 6) as they travel to take
on nationally-ranked UC Santa Barbara at the Thunderdome at 7 p.m.
