CS Long Beach Plays Host to UOP--Both 2-1 in PCAA

Cal State Long Beach and University of the Pacific, two surprising Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. basketball teams, will play tonight at 7:30 in Long Beach’s university gym.

In preseason polls, the 49ers and the Tigers were picked to finish in the conference’s bottom half. But both teams are 2-1 in the PCAA and share second place with San Jose State behind 2-0 Nevada Las Vegas.

The 49ers, 7-8 overall, have won two straight conference games for the first time in Ron Palmer’s three seasons as coach, and a victory against Pacific would give them more than they had last season.

Guard Morlon Wiley, who leads the 49ers with 13.5 points and 5.2 assists a game, has had two consecutive strong games since recovering from an ankle injury. He had 16 points against Fresno State Thursday night.

Pacific’s leading scorer is center Brent Counts, who is averaging 17 points a game.