Long Beach Breezes Past Utah State, 71-50

Two consecutive close losses didn’t wreck the team’s psyche, but another might have pushed Long Beach State over the edge.

The 49ers avoided further trauma Saturday night with a 71-50 Big West Conference victory over Utah State before 8,059 at the Smith Spectrum.

“We felt that we really needed this win,” point guard Rasul Salahuddin said. “This win puts us right back up there [in the standings].

“All the teams in the conference will see we won up here and see that we’re back together again. This sets a tone.”

Long Beach, which improved to 15-9 overall and 10-5 in the Big West, moved into a virtual tie for first place with UC Irvine. Irvine (13-8, 9-4) lost, 83-77, to New Mexico State on Saturday night at Las Cruces, N.M. Long Beach trails by a few percentage points.

Salahuddin scored a game-high 24 points for the 49ers, who rallied from large deficits in their last two games before losing both by three points. The 49ers didn’t have to fight back this time, taking control midway through the first half.

The 49ers swept the season series for the first time since the 1992-93 season. The 49ers defeated the Aggies, 80-73, Jan. 18 at the Pyramid.

Long Beach guard James Cotton, the Big West’s leading scorer, had 14 points. Forward Silas Mills led Utah State (13-13, 7-6) with 12 points. Center Eric Franson, who averages 17.5 points, had only six.