Dons Hold Off Fullerton 64-62 for First Orange Empire Win
Chris Kapano hit the eventual game-winner with 1:19 left as the Dons defeated Fullerton College for the OEC victory.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
33 | 29 | 62 |
|
|
32 | 32 | 64 |
Team Stats
Fullerton
| Game Statistics | Fullerton | Santa Ana |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (23-60) | (25-72) |
| Field Goal % | 38.3% | 34.7% |
| Rebounds | 41 | 52 |
| Assists | 14 | 8 |
| Turnovers | 13 | 11 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 9 | 18 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 8 | 13 |
| Pts in the Paint | 28 | 34 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 4 | 2 |
| Bench Pts | 7 | 14 |
SANTA ANA - The Dons got their first Orange Empire Conference win of the season with a 64-62 victory over visiting Fullerton College. The win improves the Dons to 9-8 overall and 1-1 in conference while Fullerton falls to 2-16 overall and 0-3 in conference.
Ultimately, it was the Dons third win over an Orange Empire Conference opponent, but first in conference competition. The Dons have also defeated Riverside City College and Cypress College, but those wins came in non-conference tournaments earlier in the season.
Tonight's game proved to be a back-and-forth affair with seven ties and 15 lead changes. Fullerton held the largest lead of the game, seven points, nearly halfway through the second half. The Hornets continued to lead until the 7:10 mark.
With Fullerton leading 55-52, Chris Kapano hit back-to-back baskets to put the Dons up 56-55 with 7:10 remaining in the game. Fullerton would come back to tie the game at 59-59, and again at 61-61 before Kapano hit what would be the game-winning basket.
Kapano's jumper from the top of the key with 1:19 left put the Dons on top for good at 63-61. After the two teams traded free throws, Fullerton had one final look at a three-pointer in the game's final 10 seconds. But the Hornets attempt was off and the Dons held on to win.
Kapano led all scorers with 20 points followed by Ramez Michail with 17 points as the only Dons in double digits. Fullerton was led by Austyn Thompson with 17 points while Isaiah Clark and Jake McCloskey each scored 10 points.
