Long Beach State Can’t Hold Lead, Falls to Nebraska

Long Beach State faltered down the stretch and lost to Nebraska, 82-71, Monday night in front of 4,310 at the Pyramid.

Long Beach’s defense disappeared down the stretch and so did a 12-point lead as the 49ers lost their third game in a row. A three-point play by forward Mikki Moore gave the Cornhuskers the lead for good, 58-55, with 8:16 to play. Then Erick Strickland extended Nebraska’s lead with a three-point shot.

Consecutive dunks by forward Terrance O’Kelley, starting in place of injured forward Mike Atkinson, gave Long Beach a 48-37 lead with 15:58 to play. A dunk by swingman Jamie Davis gave the 49ers a 51-39 lead and brought the crowd to its feet.

However, Nebraska didn’t buckle. The 49ers were outscored 53-32 in the second half.

A basket by Moore cut the 49er lead to 51-45 with 12:28 to play. Two consecutive baskets by Melvin Brooks put the Cornhuskers closer than they had been since midway through the first half, at 53-51.

Nebraska cut the lead to one, 54-53, on a shot by Strickland. The 49ers continued to run into one another and Nebraska took the lead 38 seconds later when Strickland fed guard Tom Wald for an uncontested layup.

Wald finished with 20 points and Strickland had 18 for Nebraska, which improved to 12-3.

The Cornhuskers shot 72 percent from the floor as they stormed back after halftime, making 18 of 25 shots. Long Beach (4-4), meanwhile, made only 10 of 32.

Led by the inspired play of forward Juaquin Hawkins, guard Eric Brown and center Joe McNaull, Long Beach led, 39-29, at halftime, despite shooting only 39.1% compared to 47.6% for Nebraska.

Hawkins began the game shooting only 40% but started quickly against the Cornhuskers. He exceeded his average of 4.3 points in the game’s first few minutes. Hawkins, who finished with 12 points, had scored nine twice this season. He made five of 12 shots in the first half.

Brown, a skilled offensive player who lost his starting position after Long Beach’s third game, also had 12 points.

Neither Hawkins nor McNaull, who had 10 points, scored in the 49ers’ 98-78 Big West Conference loss to No. 24 New Mexico State Jan. 5 at the Pyramid.