Wiley’s Free Throw Gives 49ers the Win : CS Long Beach Bounces Back to Take Third in Lobo Tournament

Cal State Long Beach survived the consolation-game blues Sunday night when guard Morlon Wiley made a free throw with five seconds left for an 89-88 victory over North Texas State.

The victory gave the 49ers third place in the Lobo Invitational.

“We were a little down from last night,” said Wiley, referring to the 49ers’ 93-86 loss to Ohio State on Saturday night. “But we pulled together when it counted.”

Wiley followed his 30-point performance against Ohio State with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals.

In the championship game, Hunter Greene scored 28 points and Charlie Thomas added 24 as New Mexico beat Ohio State, 74-65. New Mexico, winning its tournament for the first time since 1983, is 10-3. Ohio State is 6-3.

Greene and Thomas, who had 15 rebounds, repeatedly beat the Ohio State defense for easy baskets.

Guard Jay Burson led Ohio State with 21 points, while Curtis Wilson added 15 and Jerry Francis 10.

New Mexico opened up a 14-3 lead and Ohio State never recovered, although the Buckeyes got within seven, 52-45, with 7:34 left in the game on a layup by Burson.

The Long Beach 49ers (6-3) never trailed, once had a 13-point lead in the second half but lacked the killer instinct.

The last of several Eagle comebacks cut into an 85-74 deficit when freshman guard Robert Greene, who had not played in the first 36 minutes, made three baskets, one a three-pointer.

A baseline shot by Tony Worrell, who led the Eagles with 24 points, tied the game, 88-88, with 13 seconds left. But Jeff Eastin quickly inbounded the ball to Billy Walker, who threw a long pass to Wiley, who was fouled driving to the basket.

After making the first foul shot, Wiley missed the second, but Rigo Moore grabbed the rebound to prevent North Texas from getting a final chance.

Long Beach’s DeAnthony Langston, who didn’t make a basket Saturday night, scored 23 points.