Titans

Cal St. Fullerton Titans

General Information

Founded: 1960
Conference: Big West Conference
Past Conferences: Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA)
Arena: Titan Gym
City: Fullerton, California

Championships and Titles

4 Conference tournament championships
2 Conference regular season championships

Team History

Few teams live up to their nickname much like the Cal State Fullerton Titans do. This team quickly made an impact when it arrived at NCAA Division I men’s basketball. Under Bobby Dye, the Titans put together one of the best runs during the 1977-78 season.

Greg Bunch led the Titans’ team stats and ultimately became the first to get drafted into the NBA. The Titans completed their first 20+ win season, won their first conference tournament (PCAA), and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. But that was just the beginning.

As a low seed, the Titans upset the likes of New Mexico and San Francisco to advance to the Regional Finals where it lost a hard-fought battle with Arkansas. This is the furthest the program would go as of 2023 and it would be an arduous next 30+ seasons before it recaptures some momentum.

Dye would leave in 1979 and the Titans would record just one 20+ win season until 2004-05 under Bob Burton. The new coach began the program’s renaissance thanks to the efforts of Bobby Brown. The guard would go on to lead the Cal State Fullerton team stats, especially in scoring, where he still holds the all-time points record (as of 2022-23).

The Titans failed to win the Big West tournament and qualify for March Madness. But they laid the groundwork for what would lead to sustained success over the next 20+ seasons.

In 2008, the team returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 seasons. It lost in the first round but would not have to wait another 30 years to return. Under new coach Dedrique Taylor, the Titans qualified in 2018 and 2022. While it failed to win games, Cal State Fullerton is maintaining its high win totals.

Since 2020, Cal State Fullerton’s also been one of the best bets at the NCAAB odds. The program has covered nearly 60 percent of its conference games. If it can maintain its momentum, the Titans will be fixtures in March and on the betting lines.

All-Time Cal State Fullerton Titans Records

Points Scored

Bobby Btown: 1,961
Leon Wood: 1,876
Khalil Ahmad: 1,768

Rebounds

Tony Neal: 1,115
Jackson Rowe: 811
Greg Bunch: 785

Assists

Leon Wood: 744
Wayne Williams: 537
Bobby Brown: 516

FAQs

Is Cal State Fullerton a D1 school?

The Cal State Fullerton Titans men’s basketball team plays in NCAA Division I. It has participated since the 1974-75 season.

What is the Titans’ mascot?

The Titans’ mascot is called “Tuffy”. It is an anthropomorphic elephant that represents the school’s spirit: strong, passionate, driven, yet friendly, affable, and welcoming.

Which NBA players are from Cal State Fullerton?

Cal State Fullerton has produced quite a few NBA players. Greg Bunch became the first Titan to be drafted into the NBA while Josh Akognon is one of the most recent players. Other notable players include Cedric Ceballos, a former NBA All-Star and Slam Dunk Contest winner, and Bruce Bowen, a three-time NBA Champion with San Antonio.