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Printer-friendly format Email this article Michael Hunter had 14 points and four assists in Saturday's final.

UCI's Late-Season Run Ends in Big West Tournament Final

Darren Fells named to all-tournament team

March 15, 2008

Box Score

ANAHEIM, Calif. --- Josh Akognon scored a game-high 23 points while Scott Cutley added 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead Cal State Fullerton past UC Irvine, 81-66, in the championship game of the Big West Conference Tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Senior center Darren Fells led fifth-seeded UCI (18-16) with 21 points and 10 rebounds in posting his seventh double-double of the season and 16th in his career. He was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 16.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in the Anteaters' four games.

Sophomore guard Michael Hunter added 14 points and senior forward Patrick Sanders 11 as UCI was attempting to earn its first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament on the Division I level. Hunter added four assists while senior guard Marcus McIntosh scored nine points and junior forward Kevin Bland had six rebounds and three assists off the bench.

This was the Anteaters' first Big West Tournament championship-game appearance since 1994 and the third overall.

Third-seeded Fullerton (24-8), in winning Saturday night's final, advances to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1978.

The Titans shot 53.8 percent from the field in building a 37-27 halftime lead that would have been bigger had Hunter not banked in a running jumper from 35 feet just before the horn.

Fullerton led by as many as 18 in the second half, the last at 69-51 on a three-point play by Cutley with 3:04 left .

UCI, playing its fourth game in as many nights, crept within 10 at 76-66 on a three by Brett Lauer with 1:12 before the Titans closed out the scoring with the last five points.

Fullerton shot 52.7 percent from the field in the game to UCI's 37.3 percent. The Titans outscored the Anteaters 42-22 in the paint.

UCI won seven of its last nine games to end the season. Fells ends his career ranked third at UCI in rebounds (780), seventh in steals (103) and 10th in scoring with 1,252 points.

Sanders is 16th in career scoring at UCI with 1,136 points. He had 478 career boards.