Friday, November 28th, 6:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Anaheim Convention Center (7,500) -- Anaheim, California. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: SMC 3-0, Fullerton 1-0. Away Record: SMC 0-0, Fullerton 1-1. Neutral Record: SMC 0-1, Fullerton 0-2. Conference Record: SMC 0-0, Fullerton 0-0. Series Record: Cal State Fullerton leads, 5-4.

GAME NOTES: The Saint Mary's Gaels try to bounce back from their first loss of the season on Thanksgiving as they confront the Cal State Fullerton Titans in the second round of the 76 Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center today. The Gaels zipped through their first three games of 2008-09 against the likes of Seattle Pacific, Fresno State and Vanguard before being set down by the UTEP Miners on Thursday by a score of 75-62. Prior to yesterday's game, SMC had scored no less than 86 points. As for the Titans, they put up a fight against 19th-ranked Wake Forest on Thursday, but in the end the team was dealt its second straight loss in a 75-69 decision. The setback was also the third in five games so far for the Titans, with one of the team's two victories coming against Hope International by 46 points. Cal State Fullerton currently holds a 5-4 advantage in the all-time series against the Gaels, but SMC has won two in a row and three of the last four encounters overall. The most recent of those meetings took place last season with the Gaels posting a 69-59 win at home. Both teams will play again on Sunday in the final round of this event.

In addition to shooting just 36.1 percent from the field and 3-of-24 behind the three-point line yesterday, the Gaels also turned the ball over 19 times in the loss to UTEP. Trying to keep his team in the mix was Omar Samhan who recorded a double-double with team highs of 20 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Patrick Mills with 16 points. But as much as Mills contributed on the scoreboard, he shot just 5-of-20 from the field, missed all nine of his three-point attempts and turned the ball over four times. Mills continues to lead the program after four games with his 18.5 ppg, with Samhan contributing 15.0 ppg. However, the difference between the two is that the former is shooting only 40.9 percent from the field and the latter has been very accurate at 63.4 percent thus far. The Gaels are beating opponents on the glass by more than six boards per game, but that still doesn't make up for just 29.3 percent shooting out on the perimeter.

One of the top scorers in the nation, Josh Akognon accounted for a team-best 24 points on Thursday, but shooting a mere 9-of-25 from the field and 4-of-14 behind the three-point line kept him and the Titans from getting into the win column. Jacques Streeter added 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the unit, followed by Gerard Anderson and his 10 points and team-best 12 rebounds in the losing effort. Except for the opener against Texas State, Akognon has been the leading scorer for Fullerton in every game thus far. Attempting about 60 percent of his shot attempts behind the three-point line where he is 36.1 percent accurate, Akognon is tops on the scoring list with his 24.2 ppg, followed by Anderson and Streeter with 14.2 and 11.2 ppg, respectively. As a team the Titans, who are generating better than 81 ppg, attempt one out of every three field goals from beyond the arc, resulting in plenty of rebounds to be collected.

Having a player like Akognon to lean on so much can sometimes hurt a team like the Titans because he's bound to have an off game here and there. As long as the Gaels remember to put up a fight out on the perimeter the Titans will have to change their approach.

Predicted Outcome

Saint Mary's-CA 77, Cal State Fullerton 71