Long Beach Rallies Past Fresno St., 81-75 : College basketball: Bulldogs try to win it for coach who had resigned, but 49ers put it together with game on the line.

For much of the game Thursday night, the emotional edge belonged to Fresno State, whose coach had resigned. But Cal State Long Beach eventually showed the most inspiration, coming from 14 points behind to defeat the Bulldogs, 81-75.

It was the sixth consecutive victory for the 49ers, who are 19-7 and 11-6 in the Big West Conference.

“I thought our team grew up tonight,” Long Beach Coach Joe Harrington said. “We were not going to surrender.”

Fresno State (9-17, 4-13) was trying to break a five-game losing streak for assistant coaches Don Beck and Frank Carbajal, who took over for Ron Adams, who resigned Wednesday.

And the Bulldogs, cheered by an enthusiastic crowd of 9,741 in Selland Arena, nearly pulled the upset.

“I knew they’d play great basketball,” Harrington said of the Bulldogs, who were ahead, 53-39, with about 15 minutes left in the game.

Long Beach took the lead after Troy Joseph stole the ball and was fouled as he drove for a layup with 1:40 to play. He missed the layup, but made two free throws to finally put the 49ers ahead, 75-73.

After a missed shot by Fresno, Joseph passed to a cutting Tyrone Mitchell, who made a layup with about 50 seconds left,

Fresno’s Tod Bernard hit a short jump shot to cut the lead to 77-75, but Lucious Harris made two free throws with 20 seconds left. Fresno had another chance, but Bernard’s three-point attempt went in and out.

The 49ers, who have shot 63% from the free-throw line this season, made nine of 10 free throws in the last five minutes.

Mitchell led Long Beach with 16 points and 10 assists.

“They had something to play for and they didn’t have anything to lose,” Mitchell said. “But we want 20 wins bad.”

A loss probably would have severely hurt the 49ers’ chances of getting into the NCAA tournament.

As has happened many times this season, the 49er reserves came through.

Darrell Faulkner, who made three three-point shots, scored 13 points and Frankie Edwards scored 11.

The Bulldogs scored their points three at a time to take an early lead. Dave Barnett made a three-point play, Wilbert Hooker sank two three-point shots and after another three-point basket by Bernard, the Bulldogs led, 20-11, with about 13 minutes left in the half.

The 49ers committed seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes and made only two of six free throw attempts.

With Kevin Cutler making six consecutive foul shots and Darrell Faulkner hitting a three-point basket, the 49ers got as close as 36-32. But Fresno State went on a 7-1 run to close the half with a 42-33 lead.

The Bulldogs outshot the 49ers from the field in the first half, 56% to 40%.

With Hooker scoring seven points, Fresno State increased its lead to 53-41 five minutes into the second half.

But then Faulkner hit two three-point baskets to start the comeback.

The 49ers tightened their defense in the second half, holding Fresno State to 41% shooting from the field.