Cal State Long Beach Women Add to Tennessee Woes, 62-58

The Cal State Long Beach campus is abuzz with sports news. First, the women’s volleyball team brought home the NCAA title. Then George Allen was named football coach. Anyone hear the latest?

The No. 8-ranked women’s basketball team defeated No. 4 Tennessee, 62-58. That may not rank with the first two, but don’t tell the 1,000-plus that filled University Gym, and grew ever raucous as the game progressed.

Trailing, 58-52, with 1:53 remaining, the 49ers converted two free throws before Trise Jackson streaked down court for a layup that made it 58-56.

Penny Moore was fouled and made both free throws to tie the score 58-58 with 1:08 left.

After a Tennessee timeout, Daedra Charles was called for traveling, and Dana Wilkerson got the ball downcourt. She missed, but got her own rebound and scored to give the 49ers the lead, 60-58, with 33 seconds left.

Jackson stole the inbounds pass and passed to Wilkerson, who put the game away.

Not only did the 49ers overcome an eight-point halftime deficit (largely because of 20% shooting), they also were outrebounded for the first time this year, 57-41.

Wilkerson led four players in double figures with 14 points--11 in the second half. Center Angelique Lee had 12 points and nine rebounds for the 49ers.

Tennessee (6-3), which has lost to three ranked teams in its last four games, got 19 points from center Daedra Charles.