They're the guys who dialed up 100 points on the Griz in Missoula late last month, the first team to do that in more than 18 years, and started the Griz on their current four-game slide.
Thursday's rematch in Fullerton will be as much about pride as X's and O's.
Fullerton (5-2) has lost just once since beating the Griz, a 79-76 decision on the road at Central Michigan. While the Griz were scoring a paltry 49 points in a loss at Santa Clara on Monday, the Titans were hanging 99 on Southern Utah in a 36-point home win.
The scary part about the win over Southern Utah is that it came with senior guard Frank Robinson on the bench nursing a sore ankle. Robinson, who is expected to “be available” Thursday, scored 30 against the Griz.
Robinson had three of the school-record 14 3-pointers the Titans hit against the Griz. Guard Josh Akognon, a transfer from Washington State, had six on his way to 26 points and guard Marcus Crenshaw had three more.
Scott Cutley, the Titans' all-Big West power forward, was playing just his second game after recovering from a fractured ankle when the teams first met. He's averaging 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds now.
“We'll be able to take the scouting report from the first game and tweak it to respond to what did and didn't work the first time around,” Tinkle said.
“The main thing will be getting to their shooters.”
The Titans almost baited the Griz into taking open shots early in the shot clock the first time the teams met, accounting for the 191 points scored.
“Tempo is going to be the key,” Tinkle said. “We're really going to have to try to control the tempo. It's hard to do when they give you some open looks early in the shot clock. We have to make them defend for 15 or 20 seconds, if for no other reason than to keep them from running and gunning.”
There have been few common denominators during the Grizzlies' losing streak. Against Fullerton, the Griz had all the offense they wanted but couldn't guard the Titans. Against Portland, the Griz defended reasonably well but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.
The Griz played pretty well on both ends in the overtime loss to Pacific, but 16 turnovers proved costly. Then everything kind of fell apart for the first 30 minutes against Santa Clara.
“You sit back and wonder,” Tinkle said. “We're just not getting any breaks. We're not getting shots to go in one night and running up against hot teams on another. We have to have a consistent energy level for 40 minutes. We have some guys who are struggling offensively and allowing that to carry over to their energy level on the defensive end. We have to make sure we never compromise our effort level on the defensive end.”
Tinkle is also toying with juggling his starting lineup, although some of that could be forced on him if Jordan Hasquet's aching ankles don't respond to treatment and time off.
The second-year coach is considering starting sophomore Cam Rundles at point guard in place of senior Matt Martin. Martin was scoreless in 14 minutes against Santa Clara, the first time this season he's failed to score.
“He wasn't himself,” Tinkle said of Martin, the team's second leading scorer. “I wanted to try to go with guys who were bringing more energy. He might have been fatigued mentally and physically.”
The Griz will scatter to their respective homes on Friday and won't return to action until Dec. 30 at home against Montana Tech.
Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
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