Big West Conference report

SportsLine.com Report
March 15, 2000

In the paint

A disappointing season finished miserably for the Titans. With four games left in the season, sixth-year coach Bob Hawking announced his resignation.

With one game remaining, freshman guard Rodney Anderson was critically wounded by gunshots from an unknown assailant in what appeared to be a random act of violence near his family's Los Angeles home.

The Titans failed to reach the Big West Conference postseason tournament and, at 3-13, finished with the poorest record of all conference teams. The team finished the year with just nine healthy players, three of those walk-ons.

A glance at 2001

If the going was tough this season, next season doesn't look to get any better for the Titans. The team must replace its coach, but also find someone to fill the shoes of three senior starters.

Two, guards Kenroy Jarrett and Mark Murphy, are gone for sure while all-conference second-team selection Ike Harmon hopes to regain the year he lost as a Prop. 48 non-qualifier if the NCAA passes legislation that will allow it in April.

This year's two sophomores and seven freshmen will need to grow up quickly if Fullerton hopes to climb out of the Western Division cellar.

The coach

Hawking leaves following six seasons and a career record of 59-103. The team's 8-19 record this season is the poorest since a 6-20 mark in 1995-96, Hawking second season at Fullerton. The Titans went 13-14 overall and 7-9 in conference in 1998-99.

Who'll be back?

Starting swingman Matt Campbell leads the returning players. He averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds while starting every game for the Titans.

Also back is post Josh Fischer, who started 17 games and averaged 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds.

Matt Caldwell, lost for the season following an injury in the seventh game of the year, returns for his senior season in the paint.

He was averaging 12.7 points before going down. Anderson, should he recover from the gunshot wounds, will be the top returning guard. He clocked an average of 13.8 minutes and played in 24 games.

Who's gone?

Barring a fortuitous decision from the NCAA, Harmon is gone and will take his 18.7 points and 7.5 rebounds with him.

Murphy and Jarrett were workhorses in the backcourt and the Titans will be hard-pressed to duplicate their effort on both ends of the floor. Murphy led the conference in steals and was among the leaders in 3-point shooting. Jarrett averaged 34 minutes, 9.7 points and four assists.