Long Beach State Moves a Little Closer to the Top

Long Beach State is only half a game out of first place in the Big West Conference’s Western Division, but point guard Charles O’Neal feels he’s in a loftier position.

“I feel like I’m in heaven,” said the junior after his three-point basket with 2.4 seconds left gave the 49ers a 63-62 victory over first-place UC Santa Barbara on Thursday night before 2,853 at the Pyramid. “That’s probably the biggest [shot of my life].”

With 8.8 seconds left, Gaucho guard Brandon Payton made the front end of a one-and-one to give the Gauchos, 8-11 overall and 6-3 in the Big West, a 62-60 lead. He missed the second, and 49er forward Richie Smalls grabbed the rebound, his 10th.

He immediately gave it to O’Neal, who dribbled, stopped two feet beyond the three-point line, and made the basket. It not only gave the 49ers (9-11, 6-4) the victory, but allowed them to maintain control of their destiny.

The 49ers, who are half a game behind the Gauchos and Pacific, play at UCSB next Thursday after playing host Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Saturday. They play host to Pacific to end the regular season.

B.J. Bunton scored 11 of his game-high 20 points in the second half as the Gauchos built a lead as large as 61-53 with only 2:21 to play.

But two baskets by Mate Milisa and a three-point basket by D’Cean Bryant cut the lead to 61-60, setting up O’Neal’s heroics.