Robinson ruins UCI comeback

IRVINE — After sinking a driving layup with 14 seconds left to cap an improbable comeback Saturday, UC Irvine guard Chuma Awaji repeatedly rapped his right fist against his chest. It was as if to emphasize that he had enough heart to single-handedly help the Anteaters avoid defeat against Big West Conference men’s basketball rival Cal State Fullerton.

But in a matter of seconds, Awaji’s heart, as well as that of the rest of the UCI partisans among the 2,826 at the Bren Events Center, sank as one when Frank Robinson netted a game-winning three-pointer with one second left.

Robinson’s rainbow, his first conversion in six attempts from beyond the arc, was the difference in the Titans’ 71-68 victory, a win they seemingly had wrapped up when they led, 66-55, with 3:36 left.

Before the Titans nearly let it get away, they stopped the Anteaters from taking control early on.

UCI (9-11, 3-3 I conference) scored the first six points of the game on their way to a 23-12 advantage with 8:05 left in the first half.

But then senior guard Bobby Brown suddenly ignited. Brown, for whom some project an NBA future, scored 11 straight points for the Titans, including three three-pointers, in a span of 2:24 to pull the visitors (14-4, 5-2) within 27-23.

The Titans didn’t stop there, scoring the final five points before intermission to take a 30-27 advantage into the break.

Adam Templeton scored the first five points after the break for UCI, which claimed a 32-30 edge, but Fullerton utilized greater defensive intensity to counter with a 5-0 run.

Fullerton, benefiting from 10 points by reserve guard Marcus Crenshaw during a span of just more than four minutes, slowly pulled away.

But UCI, which had topped the Titans five of their last six meetings at Bren Center, wasn’t done yet.

Junior center Darren Fells, who led the hosts with 18 points, scored a layup with 2:45 left that sparked a 6-0 UCI run to pare the deficit to 66-61, with 1:31 left.

And as Fullerton struggled from the free-throw line, missing four of six in the final 65 seconds, Awaji, a junior who was displaced recently from the starting lineup, stepped forward.

Awaji hit a 15-foot fall-away with 54 seconds left, then buried a three-pointer, his first three ball in six conference games, with 27 seconds left to draw the ‘Eaters within 67-66.

Brown made the second of two free throws with 25 seconds left and Awaji drove the middle of the lane on the ensuing possession to forge a 68-68 deadlock.

Fullerton elected not to call a timeout and Brown dribbled into the frontcourt, to the left and delivered to a wide-open Robinson on the left wing.

“With our team, I think we do better when we don’t take a timeout,” Fullerton Coach Bob Burton said. “When I call a timeout, I simply screw them up.

“That’s the second game we’ve had like this [this season]. We had an identical situation down at Louisiana Tech, when Bobby went the length of the floor and hit a shot to win it. I think our guys are comfortable in that situation; they know what they’re supposed to do.

“Bobby Brown had got penetration and found Frank, who stepped up and hit the shot. It was a great finish for us.”

Obviously the opposite for UCI Coach Pat Douglass, who praised Awaji (15 points in 28 minutes) for sparking his team’s comeback.

“[Robinson] was zero for five from three when he made the shot right?” Douglass said. “We’re just tyring to [defend] them the best we can. You don’t want to give up a two-point shot. If Bobby Brown had gotten the three, or Crenshaw, we would have cringed a little more. [Robinson] made a great shot.”

Big West ConferenceCal State Fullerton -- Robinson 11, Burns 4, Cutley 14, Brown 17, Reed 9, Crenshaw 10, Green 6.

Cal State Fullerton 71,

UC Irvine 68

3-pt. goals -- Brown 3, Crenshaw 2, Robinson 1.

UC Irvine -- Campbell 10, Templeton 5, Fells 18, Sanders 8, Awaji 15, DeCasas 6, Kelley 4, McIntosh 2.

3-pt. goals -- Templeton 1, Awaji 1.

Fouled out -- Hunter.

Halftime -- 30-27, CSF.