49ers Find Cause for Guarded Optimism

In its final game of 2001, Long Beach State reversed roles Saturday night.

Instead of letting opponents have their way offensively, the 49ers finally played some tough defense. They were the ones sprinting downcourt for easy transition baskets, rather than giving them up. They were challenging three-point shots and drilling theirs at the other end.

In short, they looked more like the 49ers of recent years than the team that has struggled of late.

Long Beach took out its frustrations with a 105-70 pasting of Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne before 1,502 at the Pyramid. Kevin Roberts scored a career-high 21 points to lead six players in double figures for the 49ers, who ended a six-game losing streak. Travis Reed had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Ron Johnson and Vance Lawhorn each scored 15.

For one night, everything was right at the Beach.

“It feels good to win a game,” Coach Wayne Morgan said. “We put in a hard, consistent effort for 40 minutes. That’s the way we’ve been wanting to play all year.”

Long Beach (4-8) dominated a tired Fort Wayne team that is on a five-game trip. The 49ers shot a season-high 61.9%, with Roberts making eight of 10 shots, including five of seven three-point tries. Since earning a starting role on the strength of a 15-point effort Dec. 12 against USC, the sophomore is averaging 13 points and has made 24 of 37 shots.

“I’ve been fearless out there shooting the ball,” he said.

The 49ers stepped up defensively as well, limiting the Mastodons (2-12) to 36.1% shooting and forcing 24 turnovers. Their five previous opponents had shot nearly 57%.

Long Beach did play well in a six-point loss at UC Irvine last week. Morgan said seven days of stewing over that defeat helped fire up his troops. “That Irvine game helped us get to where we were tonight,” he said. “We’re hoping we can build off of this.”

Terry Collins led Fort Wayne with 20 points.

Eric Stephens

*

UC Irvine 77, Boston 71--Jerry Green scored 23 points, leading the Anteaters past the Terriers in the championship game of the Wisconsin Green Bay Oneida Bingo and Casino Classic.

Irvine (8-4) has won three straight since losing, 75-74, to UCLA on Dec. 15.

Green was six for 12 from the field and eight for nine from the free-throw line. He finished the two-day tournament with 50 points to win MVP honors.

Billy Collins led Boston (6-6) with 17 points.

Stanislav Zuzak added 18 points for UC Irvine.

*

Northern Arizona 80, Cal State Fullerton 68--Brian McHugh scored a game-high 22 points and Ryan McDade added 14 points and nine rebounds as the Lumberjacks beat the Titans in a nonconference game at Flagstaff, Ariz.

The Lumberjacks (7-4) won their second straight game, dominating the Titans (3-8) on the boards by a 40-22 margin.

Brandon Campbell led the Titans with 18 points, including four-for-four shooting from three-point range.