Langston Scores 24 Points to Lift Long Beach Past Pacific, 76-53

Cal State Long Beach, which has nobody averaging in double figures, finally found a big scorer Saturday night.

DeAnthony Langston, a 6-foot-10 sophomore center, scored 24 points to lead the 49ers to a rare easy victory, 76-53, against the University of Pacific before 1,229 in the campus gym.

“He probably had the game of his life,” Long Beach Coach Ron Palmer said.

It was , said Langston, who came to Long Beach from Verbum Dei High School.

Langston nearly outscored the Pacific team in the second half when he had 16 points while Pacific managed only 19.

The 49ers led, 38-34, at halftime, but, after Langston hit three straight shots to open the second half, Pacific was out of contention.

Langston made 10 of 14 shots from the field, and he wasn’t the only hot 49er. Long Beach, which had been shooting only 42.5%, shot 56.9% against the Tigers.

Guard Billy Walker, who leads the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. in assists with 6.5 a game, had 8 assists and 11 points for the 49ers, who won their first conference game after four losses.

Pacific shot only 23% in the second half, but Coach Tom O’Neill took the blame.

“We just weren’t ready tonight, and that’s a 100% reflection on me,” O’Neill said.

It was only the fifth victory for the 49ers in 16 games. Pacific dropped to 10-8 overall and 3-4 in the conference.