Lincoln University (CA) vs Cal State Fullerton prediction: Cal State Fullerton's rebuilt roster gets a fast home test against Lincoln
With two-thirds of last season's minutes gone, the Titans' home game against a non-Division I visitor is mostly about who Fullerton is now.
- Fullerton should control a non-Division I visitor; the interest lies in how a mostly new rotation handles the speed it played at last season.
- Watch Christian Williams, the top returner, whose 37.2% three-point shooting last season makes him the steadiest known scorer on the roster.
- No spread or total has been posted. Last season Fullerton ranked 2nd of 365 in pace, which would shape any total.
A Titans team mostly new
Cal State Fullerton went 18-16 last season, but that team is largely gone. Players on this season's roster logged only 33.8% of last season's minutes and 24.7% of its points, so last season's team numbers are a loose guide at best.
The scoring that left is substantial. Joshua Ward averaged 14.5 points and Bryce Cofield, now at Cal State Bakersfield, added 10.1. The school's roster page lists newcomers, including freshmen Henry Beckett and Marley Zeller and Cal Poly Pomona transfer Malcolm Bell. The ESPN roster lists different names, so the exact rotation is unsettled heading into the season.
The pace question
Last season's Titans played fast, ranking 2nd nationally in possessions per 40 minutes. They also pressured the ball, forcing turnovers at a rate that ranked 43rd of 365. The weak spots were inside: opponents made 55.9% of their twos, 340th nationally, and Fullerton grabbed few of its own misses, ranking 342nd in offensive rebound rate.
Whether a new group keeps that tempo is the main thing this game can show. Against a non-Division I opponent, a fast pace would mean plenty of possessions for the newcomers to find their roles.
Schedule and setting
Fullerton's schedule has a season opener at San Diego State on Tuesday night, and this game at Titan Gym comes a little over a week later. Lincoln's published schedule has it at UC Irvine on Nov. 11, the night before this game, which would put the Oaks on the second night of a back-to-back.
Little is known about Lincoln's 2026-27 roster. William Middlebrooks was introduced as the Oaks' coach in April 2024. Nothing has been reported on injuries for either team.
Key players
- Christian Williams (Cal State Fullerton): Williams averaged 9.2 points and shot 37.2% from three last season while starting 30 games.
- Bailey Nunn (Cal State Fullerton): Nunn hit 42.6% of his threes last season with an offensive rating of 121.3 in a reserve role.
- Kendrick De Luna (Cal State Fullerton): De Luna shot 50% from the field and blocked 0.8 shots per game last season across 28 starts.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 33.8% | Only about a third of last season's minutes return, so last season's team profile may not hold. |
|---|---|---|
| Pace rank last season | 2nd | Fullerton played at one of the fastest tempos in the country last season. |
| Opponent 2-point % last season | 55.9% | Rim protection was a weakness, ranking 340th nationally. |
| Forced turnover rate rank last season | 43rd | Fullerton's defense generated turnovers well even while allowing easy twos. |
Lincoln University (CA) vs Cal State Fullerton: quick answers
When is Lincoln University (CA) vs Cal State Fullerton?
Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 9:00 PM ET.