RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Despite a game-high 26 points from DJ Brewton, Cal State Fullerton men's basketball fell to UC Riverside 84-74 on the road Thursday night. The result drops the Titans to 14-17 overall and 7-12 in Big West play. 

Brewton reached 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting, adding a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double as a Titan. John Mikey Square contributed 14 points and four boards while Donovan Oday scored 13. Grayson Carper added 10 points and four rebounds for Fullerton. 

As a team, the Titans shot 45.6% from the floor to the Highlanders' 42.4% but gave up 12 turnovers to UCR's six. Fullerton led by as many as 13 in the first half before the Highlanders closed the game on a 16-6 run over the final 4:18 to seal the win. 

The Titans raced to an early 14-8 lead following baskets from Brewton, Vincent Lee and Oday. Tory San Antonio later found Carper for a driving layup to push Fullerton's lead, 21-10. San Antonio then scored a lay-in of his own before a Brewton basket in the paint gave the Titans their largest lead of the night, 25-12. 
 

see ya ??#TusksUp | @DBrewton23 pic.twitter.com/47HPTEoIIX

— Titans Men's Basketball (@FullertonMBB) March 8, 2024

Carper and Oday later traded triples in the corner and Carper added a layup to make it 36-24 for Fullerton late in the half. Brewton fought through contact and got a driving layup to fall just before the break, giving the Titans a 42-33 advantage into the locker room.
 

no stopping this man??#TusksUp | @DBrewton23 pic.twitter.com/iJ0YxkILky

— Titans Men's Basketball (@FullertonMBB) March 8, 2024

Teams traded baskets early in the second period, with layups from Brewton and Oday giving Fullerton a 49-41 lead. Antwan Robinson drained a trey and Square scored down low to make it 60-54 for the Titans. But UCR scored the next six to tie things up at 60. 

The Highlanders later went up three before Brewton scored another driving lay-in to keep Fullerton within a point, 66-65. UCR then used a 7-1 run to go up 73-66 and later took a 78-70 lead with 2:23 left. 

Brewton hit a free throw and Carper hit another corner three to cut Fullerton's deficit to four, 78-74. But that was as close as the Titans would get, as the Highlanders scored the game's final six points to seal their 84-74 win. 

Up next, Fullerton closes out the regular season with a home contest against UC Irvine on Saturday, Mar. 9. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT with a pregame senior day ceremony slated for 5:35 p.m. PT. 

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