Change Makes Difference for CS Long Beach : Big West basketball: Atkinson, O’Kelley come off bench to lead 84-67 victory over UC Irvine.

On a night when UC Irvine Coach Rod Baker decided to start a different five for the 11th time this season, it was host Cal State Long Beach that benefited most from a lineup change.

Center Mike Atkinson and forward Terrance O’Kelley came off the bench late in the first half to ignite a 25-0 run, and the 49ers went on to defeat the Anteaters, 84-67, Monday night in a Big West Conference game before 1,194 in the campus gym.

Getting little production out of his front line, 49er Coach Seth Greenberg decided to shake up the 49ers (18-8, 10-6) by going to the bench more.

Long Beach, which has won four of its last six, trailed Irvine (6-18, 4-12), 31-27, with 3:40 remaining in the half.

But spurred by a three-pointer and two assists from backup Brian Camper, Long Beach closed the half with 16 unanswered points for a 43-31 lead.

Atkinson’s basket with 18:27 to go in the second half capped a 9-0 start and Long Beach led, 52-31.

In 22 minutes of play, Atkinson responded with a career-high 14 points and tied a career best with eight rebounds.

O’Kelley, providing defensive pressure in the key, scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds in 14 minutes.

Greenberg made one other change for a while, moving swingman Camper to point guard in place of starter Jeff Rogers. Camper had five assists and three steals.

“We told them after the last game that the guys who work the hardest will see playing time,” said Greenberg, still upset by the 49ers’ 81-78 loss at Cal State Northridge on Friday. “Obviously some of these guys took it verbatim.”

But it was far from a perfect game, with the teams combining for 50 turnovers and 41 fouls.

Irvine remains in contention for the eighth and final conference tournament position because San Jose State lost to UC Santa Barbara, 67-62. The Spartans and Anteaters are tied for the spot, but Irvine has defeated San Jose twice this season.