Long Beach Ends UNLV Streak

There was a lot of grumbling when it was announced that Cal State Long Beach would play host to 12th-ranked Nevada Las Vegas in its campus gym, rather than the Long Beach Arena.

“What the people will remember at the end of the season,” acting 49er Athletic Director Dave O’Brien said, “is not where we played ‘em, but that we won.”

After nearly two decades of frustration that produced 28 losses to the Rebels in 34 games in the Arena, including 10 losses in a row, there might be something magical about that steamy hole in the wall they recently renamed the Gold Mine.

With a capacity crowd of 1,987 watching the Big West Conference game Thursday night, Long Beach got a career-high 33 points from forward Bryon Russell and 25 from guard Lucious Harris to shock visiting UNLV, 101-94.

It was the 18th consecutive victory for the 49ers in their campus gym and ended the Runnin’ Rebels’ 29-game winning streak--longest in the nation.

It also might have served notice that the 49ers--who, until Thursday night, played a schedule that included victories over Division I teams with a combined record of 29-42--are as good as their 9-1 record indicates.

Long Beach and UNLV are 2-1 in Big West play.

The 49ers created many of their scoring opportunities by out-hustling UNLV, shooting 56.3% from the field and making 27 of 34 free throws. Long Beach held leads for a good portion of the game and seemed in trouble only once, when Dedan Thomas of Las Vegas made a three-point shot with 8:05 to play that capped a comeback from a 10-point deficit.

The shot gave UNLV a 77-76 lead.

But the 49ers seemed unruffled. Four seconds later, Rod Hannibal gave Long Beach the lead for good with two free throws.

Las Vegas got within a point, 80-79, with 7:11 to play, but, led by eight points down the stretch by Harris and four by Russell, Long Beach took control.

“Our crowd was wonderful,” said Russell, who also had 11 rebounds. “When we play here, it’s a different atmosphere.”

The 49ers held a 35-24 edge in rebounding.

How important was this victory to Long Beach, whose program is reeling under a financial strain? Coach Seth Greenberg raced to midcourt shortly after the game ended and raised his fist high. The crowd, despite warnings, ran onto the freshly painted gym floor and mobbed the players, as the Runnin’ Rebels left quickly out a back door.

“The kids just would not be denied,” Greenberg said. “Anytime you beat the No. 12 team in the nation, you can count that as a big win.”

UNLV Coach Rollie Massimino credited the the 49er defense, which held forward J.R. Rider, the Big West’s leading scorer, to 16 points.

“Seth and his group deserve a lot of credit. They defended us well,” Massimino said.

“This is a tough place to play, but everyone has to play here. That’s the way it is.”

About the only Rebel who enjoyed the campus gym appeared to be center Evric Gray, who had a career-high 35 points and grabbed eight rebounds.