Fullerton

Poll: Who Will Win the Big West?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:45:50 -0400

Non-BCS Player of the Week: Matt Bouldin

Joey Whelan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:38:15 -0500

Non-BCS Player of the Week

Matt Bouldin – Gonzaga

2 Games: 20 ppg, 3 rpg, 5.5 apg, 53.3% FG

After suffering through a tough three game skid, Gonzaga got back on track with an overtime win over Tennessee and followed that up with a convincing win at home over Portland in their WCC opener. A major part of the success for the Bulldogs in the last week has been junior guard Matt Bouldin who takes home this week’s honors. Bouldin led the way in the Tennessee win netting 26 points on 11-20 shooting in addition to dolling out five assists and grabbing four rebounds. The strong showing was a season high scoring performance for Bouldin who has been somewhat inconsistent with his scoring this year.

Finalists

Josh Akognon – Cal State Fullerton

2 Games: 27.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 45.2% FG, 41% 3P FG

It was a good week for the Titans as they picked up a pair of conference wins thanks to their sweet scoring senior guard. Akognon shot the ball very well in scoring 26 and 29 points respectively in wins over Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara. Most importantly, he seems to have regained his touch from the perimeter which was lacking during the previous week.

Lester Hudson – Tennessee-Martin

3 Games: 34 ppg, 8 rpg, 4.3 apg, 3.3 spg

It’s been another impressive season for Hudson as far as stats are concerned, but this week was just ridiculous. The senior netted at least 30 points in all three games he played in, but he completely stole the show in a Saturday win over Tennessee State. After recording the first quadruple-double in Division 1 history last season, Hudson almost did it again, recording 30 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 8 steals.

Ahmad Nivins – Saint Joseph’s

Vs. Rhode Island: 28 points, 20 rebounds, 3 blocks, 9-15 FG

The Hawks triple-overtime win over URI was an instant classic and Ahmad Nivins stole the show with his 20 and 20 showing. The A-10’s most dominant big man, and arguably its best player, has been making a habit out of appearing on this list and for playing exceptionally well in big games.

Cheerleader of the Day: Fullerton

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:00:31 -0500

Cheerleader of the Day

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, CHN has access to thousands of great college & NBA basketball photos. Each day, along with our daily Big Picture, we'll be featuring a Cheerleader (or Dancer) of the Day.

Fullerton

- Check out past Cheerleaders of the Day!

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Mid-Major Player of the Week: Ahmad Nivins

Joey Whelan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:03:49 -0500

As a companion to CHN's National Player of the Week, we will be presenting a Mid-Major Player of the Week as well this season. All non-BCS players are eligible for this award. In the case that the National POY is a non-BCS player, they will be repeated here as well.

Ahmad Nivins - Saint Joseph's

3 Games: 16 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3 bpg

Sure there are plenty of guys that had better stat lines this week, but no one did it against stiffer competition than the Hawks big man in the middle. A double-double against a potential Final Four team in Texas and a strong 16 and 8 showing against a talented Alabama team in the Maui Invitational were enough to give Nivins the honors for this week. Yes, he beat up on an outmanned Indiana squad in his second game, but you can't deny the performances in his other two games. Don't be shocked to see Nivins pop up on this list several more times this year.

Just Missed Out

Josh Akognon - Cal State Fullerton

3 Games: 24.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2 apg

The Anaheim Classic turned out to be some entertaining basketball thanks in large part to the play of the undersized Akognon. He lit up stiff competition by dropping 24 points on both Wake Forest and Saint Mary's, then finished off the weekend with 26 against Charlotte. We knew the California native could score in bunches, and while he was a little trigger happy from the perimeter this week, he proved he could do it against big name programs.

Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga

3 Games: 15 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.7 bpg

The Bulldogs announced themselves as a legitimate Final Four contender by winning the Old Spice Classic, and Heytvelt announced his return as a strong presence inside. He started slow in the tournament opener with Oklahoma State, but rebounded nicely for two fine showings versus Maryland and Tennessee. With the balanced scoring attack the ‘Zags have it is doubtful that the senior will put up huge numbers on a regular basis, but when Heytvelt is on his game, 15 and 6 should be the norm.

Stefon Jackson - UTEP

3 Games: 20.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2 spg

Highlighted by a brilliant performance against Wake Forest, Jackson may have had the best showing from anyone at the Anaheim Classic, and with the cast of characters present this weekend, that's saying something. The senior torched the Demon Deacons for 31 points, hitting 13 of his 14 attempts from the free throw line. His 17 and 10 showing against Saint Mary's shouldn't be overlooked either.

Worth Noting

A.J. Slaughter - Western Kentucky

His numbers for the week aren't anything to write home about, but any time a player scores 25 points and grabs 9 rebounds in helping his team upset a top five opponent, that is worth some ink. So with that in mind, kudos to Slaughter and the Hilltoppers for pulling the major upset over then #3 Lousiville yesterday.

Top Lists: Unknown Gems, Comeback Players, Shot Blockers

Jason Brubaker — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:32:45 -0500

We’ve covered the preseason All-Americans, Final Four picks and individual team previews. Now it’s time for the fun stuff – the guys who make college basketball so fun to watch. Let the debates begin.

Best players you haven’t seen: These guys aren’t in the spotlight much, but they sure have the game to be

1) Marquis Blakely G/F, Vermont: Fills up the stat sheet as good as anyone in the country (19 ppg, 11 rpg)

2) Lester Hudson G, UT Martin: Big time scorer will eventually be in the NBA (25.7 ppg)

3) Josh Akognon G, Cal-State Fullerton: Lights out shooter introduced himself during the NCAA Tournament (111 3's, 20 ppg)

4) Ben Uzoh G, Tulsa: Does a little of everything, now must help lead Golden Hurricanes to the tourney (15.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

5) Osiris Eldridge G, Illinois State: Great leader, good shooter, good defender, dangerous scorer. Enough said (15.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

Hospital breakouts: These guys will provide big boosts as they return from injury

1) Ronald Steele G, Alabama: When healthy, as good a point guard as anywhere in the country

2) Eric Devendorf G, Syracuse: Dangerous scorer will return Orange to the tournament

3) Jodie Meeks G, Kentucky: Meeks has all-SEC talent if he can stay on the floor

4) Korvotney Barber F, Auburn: One reason to get excited about Auburn basketball is his return to the floor

5) Solomon Alabi F, Florida State: Should provide a much-needed post presence for Seminoles

Shot blockers: Think twice before challenging these guys at the rim

1) Hasheem Thabeet C, UConn: Good luck getting your shot over his outstretched arms (4.5 bpg)

2) Jarvis Varnado C, Mississippi State: Remnicent of a young Kenyon Martin with the way he sends shots away from the basket (4.6 bpg)

3) Kleon Penn C, McNeese State: Owns the paint and the basket when he wants to (4 bpg)

4) Jerome Jordan C, Tulsa: Scary thing? He hasn’t even come close to his potential yet (3.7 bpg)

5) Hamady N'Diaye F, Rutgers: Great athlete has good timing, aggressive nature (3 bpg)

Yesterday: Top Dunkers, Shooters, Rebounders. Disagree with Jason's picks? Let us know your top lists below!

Big West Basketball Preview: 08-09

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:24:46 -0500

Conference Rank: 19th

Conference Page

All-BIG WEST Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Josh Jenkins	Northridge	Sr
G	Josh Akognon	Fullerton	Sr
G	Donovan Morris	LBSU	Sr
F	Chris Devine	UCSB	Sr
F	Tremaine Townsend	Northridge	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Josh Akognon Donovan Morris		Points: Josh Akognon 20.2 Rebounds: Tremaine Townsend 9.8 Assists: Josh Jenkins 6.4

BIG WEST Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

98	Pacific	Big West	1	NCAA
115	CS Northridge	Big West	2
138	UC Santa Barbara	Big West	3
166	CS Fullerton**	Big West	4
182	Cal Poly	Big West	5
210	Long Beach St	Big West	6
259	UC Irvine	Big West	7
281	UC Riverside	Big West	8
311	UC Davis	Big West	9

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Note: A lot of changes have occurred at Pacific in the months since this preview was written. They would almost certainly not be our #1 choice as of today.

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Big West?

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Rise & Fall: Big West

State of '08: California

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the Big West?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:38:18 -0400

Fullerton Extends Contract of Coach Bob Burton

Press Release — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:54:08 -0400

Fullerton, Calif. - Head Coach Bob Burton has signed a contract extension that will keep him in charge of the Cal State Fullerton men's basketball program through the 2012-13 season.

Burton has compiled a 92-60 record in five seasons with the Titans including two wins in the 2005 Post-Season NIT and a first-round loss to Wisconsin in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, Fullerton's first berth since 1978. Last year's team won the Big West Conference post-season tournament after sharing in the school's first regular-season conference title since 1976.

"I think Bob's record speaks for itself and we are delighted we are able to keep him at Fullerton," said Director of Athletics Brian Quinn. "Not only have we enjoyed four consecutive winning seasons, but seven of his players are graduating in 2008."

With a .605 percentage, Burton is the winningest coach in school history. He was selected the NABC District 15 Coach of the Year for 2007-08.

"I appreciate the commitment from Brian and the University," said Burton. "They gave me a chance out of the community college ranks and I'm happy everything has worked out so well."

Burton's first Titan team in 2003-04 was 11-17 primarily with players inherited from predecessor Donny Daniels. The 2004-05 team went 21-11 and won NIT games at Oregon State and USF before losing at Georgetown. After a 16-13 season in 2005-06, the Titans have posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time at 20-10 in 2006-07 and 24-9 last season.

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: CS Fullerton

Joel Welser — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:25:41 -0400

Cal State Fullerton Titans

Big West (24-8, 12-4)

Big Wins: 2/2 at CS Northridge (80-72), 2/23 Portland State (85-69), 3/8 at UC Irvine (74-66)

Bad Losses: 12/8 at Central Michigan (76-79), 1/17 at Pacific (82-89), 2/28 CS Northridge (74-82)

Last NCAA Appearance: 1978, Elite Eight loss to Arkansas

Coach: Bob Burton (First NCAA appearance)

Probable Starters:

Ray Reed, Senior, Guard, 6.4 ppg, 2.6 apg

Josh Akognon, Junior, Guard, 19.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg

Frank Robinson, Senior, Guard, 16.0 ppg, 2.5 apg, 7.0 rpg

Marcus Morgan, Senior, Forward, 5.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Scott Cutley, Senior, Forward, 14.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.9 apg

Key Roleplayers:

Marcus Crenshaw, Junior, Guard, 8.9 ppg, 2.2 apg

Marcio Lassiter, Junior, Guard, 3.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg

Kenneth Alexander, Senior, Forward, 3.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg

Andrew Green, Senior, Forward, 3.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:

Cal State Fullerton has a trio of guards that just fit perfectly in Coach Bob Burton’s style of play. The Titans will push the tempo at every possible moment and point guard Ray Reed leads the way. Reed is not a great scorer, but he has the speed to get up and down the floor and find the scorers. And Reed has a couple great scorers that he will find very often. Josh Akognon, a former Washington State Cougar, averages 19.9 points per game and knocks down 3.6 three-pointers per contest. Akognon is just a superb scorer from anywhere on the floor and he will rarely take a day off.

But if Akognon’s shot happens to not be falling, the Titans will look to Frank Robinson. The 6-4 senior is not as great of an outside shooter as Akognon, but he does a great job of getting to the basket and finishing around the rim. Those two average 35.9 points per game and that is a tough backcourt to stop when it is clicking on all cylinders.

Why They Can Disappoint:

There is not a whole lot of size on this team. Scott Cutley is only 6-5, but the forward is a wide body who tilts the scales at a lean 235 pounds. He will take the ball into the paint, run some people over and do a lot of scoring. He is also a solid passer from the inside and actually leads the team with 2.9 assists per contest. Yet, the size can be a major concern against bigger opponents. Marcus Morgan is Cutley’s partner in the paint and he is just 6-5 as well. Morgan is not a scorer and will do the all the dirty work in the paint. Cutley and Morgan are both decent rebounders, but toughness can only get you so far if the opposition is six inches taller than you are. It is also that lack of size which allows the opponents to shoot 46.8 percent from the floor. The Titans just do not have a shot blocker and that makes it easy to get into the paint against Fullerton.

Who To Watch:

There is not too much depth on this team, but Marcus Crenshaw is certainly a great sixth man to have on any roster. The 5-10 junior will mostly take three-pointers, but he does it extremely well. Crenshaw hits 2.2 per contest at a 42.0 percent mark. If the offense happens to be sputtering, Crenshaw can come into the game and immediately turn things around.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 82.7 (5^th in nation, 1^st in conference)

Scoring Defense: 73.1 (266, 9)

Field-Goal Percentage: 47.4 (34, 2)

Field-Goal Defense: 46.8 (295, 8)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 8.8 (25, 1)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 38.7 (36, 3)

Free-Throw Percentage: 70.9 (112, 5)

Rebound Margin: 1.5 (130, 3)

Assists Per Game: 15.6 (45, 1)

Turnovers Per Game: 13.5 (104, 3)

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Daily Poll: Who Will Win the Big West?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:42:59 -0400