Fullerton Misses Williams, but Idaho Doesn’t

Life without John Williams began in earnest Thursday night for Cal State Fullerton. The Titans were far from home, playing an opponent that, this time out, was not going to roll over and play dead.

So it was painfully apparent how much Fullerton misses its leading scorer. Idaho gave the Titans that status report in a 73-65 victory in front of 2,933 in the Kibbie Dome.

Williams, the Big West Conference’s leading scorer through the first five conference games, is out four weeks because of a broken bone in his wrist. The Titans routed UC Irvine, 89-57, without him on Saturday. But they can’t play the 1-15 Anteaters every night.

Idaho is by no means among the conference elite, yet the Vandals (9-11, 2-5) overwhelmed Fullerton in the final 10 minutes.

“We were prepared to double-team Williams every time on the post,” Idaho Coach Kermit Davis said. “That’s how good he is.”

Chris Dade attempted to fill the void with 23 points. When the Vandals adjusted, Fullerton was forced into a perimeter game in the spacious Kibbie Dome, which Idaho uses for everything from tennis to football.

The Titans, who had shot 50.9% through the first six conference games, were 24 of 56 (42.9%) from the field, which left Dade baffled.

“We were on airplanes a long time yesterday and we didn’t have a lot of leg room,” Dade said. “My legs were stiff. I went out and ran a mile to loosen up. Maybe it was the travel and maybe it was the food. I ate a lot.”

The Titans (10-7, 3-4) made 10 of 25 three-pointers. Freshman Dane Plock had career highs with five three-pointers and 15 points.

Dade scored 16 of Fullerton’s first 22 points. But he was matched by Eddie Turner, who made eight of 13 shots and had 16 points in the first half. Idaho led, 32-24, at halftime.

“We had no answers for Turner,” Titan Coach Bob Hawking said.

Chris St. Clair, who scored 10 points, hit back-to-back three-pointers to start a 17-8 run for a 42-39 Titan lead at the beginning of the second half.

The Vandals survived that run because reserve Jon Harris scored eight consecutive points. Jason Jackman, Idaho’s leading scorer, was held to six points in the first half. But he was knocked to the ground by Mark Richardson with 10 minutes left. Richardson was called for an intentional foul and Jackman scored Idaho’s next nine points for a 59-53 lead.

Jackman finished with 22 points.

“Jason is a very physical guy,” Davis said. “He loves that part of the game.”

Fullerton, without Williams, had no response.

“I feel we’re a solid team, we’re not a one-man show,” Hawking said.

Still . . .

“John is the leading scorer in the conference,” Hawking said. “I had to remind everyone in the lineup that they had to step up and contribute.”

Forward DeVaughn Wright did have a career high. But Wright had never taken more than three shots in a game before Thursday. His eight points helped, but were dwarfed by Turner’s career-high 21 points.

That left Dade, who made eight of 16 shots, Plock and St. Clair. They had 21 three-point attempts among them.

“As a team, we need to step up,” Dade said. “With John out, we need to step up on offense and defense, everywhere. We didn’t do that tonight.”