FULLERTON, Calif. — Cal State Fullerton men's basketball fell in the final minutes, 73-71, to CSU Bakersfield on the road Saturday afternoon. The loss is the Titans' third straight and drops their record to 11-13 and 4-8 in Big West play. 

Max Jones scored a game-high 21 points in the loss, including 10 from the free-throw line, to go with three boards, an assist and a steal. Donovan Oday added 13 on 4-of-6 shooting while Antwan Robinson scored 11. John Mikey Square had nine points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks for the Titans. 

As a team Fullerton out-shot the Roadrunners, 51.1%-46.4%, but gave up 16 turnovers to Bakersfield's nine. The Titans used a 22-4 second-half run to go up four, 58-52, with 7:30 to go but couldn't hold on. The Roadrunners scored nine unanswered late, eventually coming away with the 73-71 win. 

Fullerton opened the game with hot shooting from deep, as Robinson knocked down a pair of triples early. Oday and Tory San Antonio added another three-pointer apiece as the Titans took an 18-10 lead midway through the first half. 

Bakersfield answered with an 11-0 run before Square scored down low. Jalen Cooper and Jones added baskets but the Roadrunners took a 39-32 lead into the locker room. 

Bakersfield extended its lead to 12, 50-38, four minutes into the second half before the Titans clawed their way back. Square hit a pair of baskets, Jones added a jumper and a three and Kendrick De Luna scored down low to fuel a 14-0 Fullerton run to give the Titans a 52-50 advantage. 

Fullerton extended its lead to six, 58-52, with 7:30 left following a Cooper lay-in and a pair of Jones free throws. A Robinson mid-range jumper later made it 60-56 for the Titans. But the Roadrunners answered with a 9-0 run to take a 65-60 lead with 4:02 left. 

An Oday free throw and another two from Jones kept Fullerton in it, 67-64, with 1:27 to go. Jones knocked down another pair from the line to make it a one-point game, 69-68, with 17 seconds left. But the Titans couldn't quite get over the hump, as Bakersfield made its final six free throw attempts in the closing minutes to seal its 73-71 win. 

Up next, Fullerton returns home to host UC Riverside next Thursday, Feb. 15. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. PT. 

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