LONG BEACH STATE (13-13, 9-7) vs. NEW...

LONG BEACH STATE (13-13, 9-7) vs. NEW MEXICO STATE

(18-8, 12-4) Time--8:30

or 30 minutes after preceding

game. Radio--KPLS (830).

New Mexico State is the conference’s hottest team, having won 11 of 12 and five in a row. New Mexico State beat Long Beach State in January at Las Cruces, N.M., 84-64. The play of Long Beach State guard James Cotton (23.5 scoring average) may be the key. Cotton played his worst game against New Mexico State, scoring 19 points but missing 15 of 22 shots, among them 11 of 12 three-pointers. The winner of this game plays the Cal State Fullerton-Nevada winner in Saturday’s semifinals at 7:30 p.m.