RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Interstat) — Marqui Worthy scored 22 points and UC Riverside used a dominant first half to build a cushion it would never relinquish, defeating Cal State Fullerton 81-72 in a Big West Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at the UCR Rec Center.

The Highlanders, who led wire-to-wire, improved to 7-12 overall. The Titans fell to 8-12.

UC Riverside established control early with efficient offense and disruptive defense. The Highlanders shot 50% from the field in the opening half, connecting on 15 of 30 attempts, while holding Cal State Fullerton to just 34 points on 10-of-29 shooting. A key sequence late in the half saw the Highlanders stretch a 29-27 lead into a more comfortable margin. After a Davis White 3-pointer for the Titans, UC Riverside closed the period on a 14-4 run, capped by an Osiris Grady floating jumper just before the buzzer and a subsequent free throw after a foul, sending the hosts into the locker room with a 43-34 advantage.

The Highlanders’ lead ballooned to 17 points midway through the second half. A Tyler Jones 3-pointer, assisted by Jailen Daniel-Dalton, made it 64-47 with just over eight minutes remaining. The Titans, plagued by poor outside shooting all night, could not mount a sustained comeback. They finished just 4 of 25 from 3-point range, a frigid 16%.

Cal State Fullerton did make a late push, applying full-court pressure to force several Highlander turnovers. A 10-2 Titans run, finished by a Christian Williams 3-pointer with 42 seconds left, cut the deficit to 80-72. That was as close as they would get, as UC Riverside secured the victory at the free-throw line.

Worthy, a guard from Anaheim, California, led all scorers and added three assists in 38 minutes. Andrew Henderson provided crucial support for UC Riverside with 17 points, two assists and a block. BJ Kolly added 12 points and two assists, while Grady chipped in 10 points and four assists. The Highlanders shared the ball effectively, recording assists on 18 of their 28 made field goals and shot a efficient 50.9% from the floor overall.

Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro led Cal State Fullerton with 17 points. Jaden Henderson came off the bench to contribute 12 points. The Titans won the battle on the glass, outrebounding UC Riverside 38-30, including a 10-4 edge on the offensive boards, and forced 16 Highlander turnovers. However, they could not overcome their own 14 turnovers and inefficient shooting night, managing an offensive rating of just 91.5 points per 100 possessions.

The game’s most pivotal stretch was UC Riverside’s strong finish to the first half. With the score tight, the Highlanders locked down defensively and executed offensively to create a nine-point halftime lead. That cushion proved vital as Cal State Fullerton’s shooting struggles persisted after the break, allowing Riverside to manage the game and withstand the Titans’ late pressure.

A crowd of 375 attended the conference matchup. Both teams return to action Thursday. UC Riverside will host UC Irvine, while Cal State Fullerton returns home to face Long Beach State.