Butler Hits Key Free Throws To Give Utah State the Win Against CS Fullerton

Spencer Nelson hit two free throws with 11.5 seconds and Cardell Butler made two more free throws with 4.5 seconds left to help Utah State to a 61-60 win against Cal State Fullerton in Big West basketball action.

Butler led the Aggies, who improved to 15-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play, with 15 points, including 11 in the second half. Mark Brown added 14 and Desmond Penigar 11 for the winners. Ralphy Holmes and Anthony Bolton scored 18 and 17 points respectively for Cal State Fullerton, which fell to 5-12 and 3-4.

Utah State led by 10 points (37-27) early in the second half before a 17-5 Cal State Fullerton run tied the game at 44 with 7:24 remaining. Butler hit a three-pointer and added two more baskets in the next four minutes as USU led 57-54 with 2:12 left.

Fullerton pulled within two points twice in the final minute of the game, including 59-57 with 5.4 seconds left before Butler sealed the game with a pair of free throws. Holmes hit a three-pointer at the buzzer for the Titans to bring them within one.

The Aggies were held to their lowest shooting percentage since shooting 32.1 percent at Pacific on Jan. 4. The mark was the lowest shooting percentage for USU in a win since shooting just 34.9 percent in a 50-38 victory against Pacific in the 2001 Big West Conference Championship game.

Cal State Fullerton shot 61.9 percent from the field, the best allowed by USU since BYU shot 63.9 percent in the 1997 season.

With the victory, the Aggies improved to 92-5 at home in the last six years and are 56-11 against Big West Conference opponents at any site in the last four seasons.