Box Score

FULLERTON, Calif. - Darius Graham canned a three with 13 seconds left to cut a five-point deficit to two in Thursday's Big West Conference game at Titan Gym, the Titans' Khalil Ahmad responded with a pair of free throws to push his team's lead to four and UC Davis was unable to trim its deficit any further during a wild finish at Cal State Fullerton, and fell by a 61-57 score.

Graham led a trio of Aggie double-digit scorers by posting a game-high 16, Brynton Lemar added another 13 and Neal Monson notched his third career double-double by ending his night with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Thursday's game marked the ninth time for Graham, the 13th time for Lemar and eighth time for Monson that each player finished with 10 of more points.

UC Davis will now head to UC Riverside for Saturday's ESPN3 broadcast with a 9-12 overall and 4-4 Big West record. Cal State Fullerton is now 9-12 and 2-6.

Thanks to its shooting at the free throw line - UC Davis hit seven of its last eight attempts, 18 of 21 overall and posted a season-high percentage (.857) for the second straight game - combined with its swarming full-court pressure, the Aggies turned a game-high nine point deficit into a one-basket margin within a 56-second timespan.

Consecutive free throws from Graham cut the Aggies' margin to seven entering the final minute of action, before Fullerton made one of two free throws to up its lead to eight.

Brynton Lemar then hit a three, with 58 seconds remaining, to pull within five; a Cal State Fullerton enabled UC Davis to cut that deficit to four after Josh Fox followed with another made free throw.

Now down by four, with 39 seconds on the clock, another Titan turnover gave UC Davis another opportunity to pull within as little as one point. Unfortunately, a missed three-pointer from the Aggies led to a Fullerton free throw on the other end of the floor, which bumped CSF's lead back to five with 18 seconds to go.

After racing down the court, Graham noticed that his defender was sagging on him; the extra room enabled the junior guard to stop on a dime and nail a straightaway three. With that basket, what was once a near double-digit Fullerton advantage became a one-basket game with 13 seconds to go.

But that was as close as the Aggies came to erasing its deficit as the combination of Ahmad's free throws, and what little time was remaining in regulation, ultimately snapped UC Davis' three-game win streak against CSF.

Eleven tied scores and seven lead changes took place throughout the game, but it was a 7-0 run from the Titans, which took place midway through the second half, that snapped a 36-36 deadlock and gave CSF the lead for good.

UC Davis did pull within four points on five occasions after Fullerton's scoring run, but timely threes from the Titans kept the Aggies at bay until the final minute.

In addition to forcing 15 turnovers, the Aggies' defense held CSF to .346 shooting overall (18-52) and .071 (1-14) from three - a season low for a UC Davis opponent this year.

This Saturday's game at UC Riverside, another league contest that will air on ESPN3, will tip at 7 p.m., or 35 minutes after the preceding Highlander women's basketball game, whichever is later.

CAL STATE FULLERTON 61, UC DAVIS 57

UC DAVIS (9-12, 4-4 BWC)
Graham, Darius 4-10 5-5 16; Lemar, Brynton 5-11 1-2 13; Monson, Neal 4-8 4-4 12; Fox, Josh 1-11 4-6 6; Schneider, Siler 1-8 4-4 6; White, Lawrence 2-6 0-0 4; Goode, Garrison 0-1 0-0 0; Printup, Rogers 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-56 18-21 57.

CAL STATE FULLERTON (9-12, 2-6 BWC)
Ahmad, Khalil 7-18 4-4 19; Allman, Kyle 3-8 6-8 13; Coggins, Tre' 3-8 3-3 10; Akoh, Jamar 4-7 0-1 8; Esume, Kennedy 2-6 2-4 6; Leslie, Lionheart 1-5 0-1 2; Henderson, Malcolm 1-2 0-0 2; Myles, Tim 0-2 1-3 1; Brooks, Malcolm 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 21-59 16-24 61.

UC Davis.......................... 26 31 - 57
Cal State Fullerton........... 26 35 - 61

3-point goals--UC Davis 5-22 (Graham, Darius 3-8; Lemar, Brynton 2-7; Schneider, Siler 0-4; White, Lawrence 0-2; Printup, Rogers 0-1), Cal State Fullerton 3-17 (Allman, Kyle 1-3; Coggins, Tre' 1-5; Ahmad, Khalil 1-6; Leslie, Lionheart 0-1; Brooks, Malcolm 0-2). Fouled out--UC Davis-Lemar, Brynton; Schneider, Siler, Cal State Fullerton-None. Rebounds--UC Davis 33 (Monson, Neal 13), Cal State Fullerton 51 (Esume, Kennedy 14). Assists--UC Davis 8 (Graham, Darius 3), Cal State Fullerton 9 (Coggins, Tre' 3; Ahmad, Khalil 3). Total fouls--UC Davis 20, Cal State Fullerton 18.