San Diego St. Gets Help From Long Beach St.

San Diego State learned eight was enough Tuesday night, particularly when you get some help from some of the opposing five.

The Aztecs, down to eight players because of health problems and academic difficulties, got a dunk from Roy Kruiswyk with 1:01 to play to break a 60-60 tie, and Jason Richey made enough free throws to defeat Long Beach State, 66-63, before 2,024 at the Pyramid.

The cause was aided by the 49ers (3-6), whose final four trips down the floor until David Egans’ three-point basket with 4.9 seconds to play resulted in:

* Andrew Betts missing a forced shot.

* Antrone Lee dribbling a ball off his foot.

* Lee looking at the basket instead of a pass from Betts.

* Betts missing a four-foot hook shot.

Betts, at 7 feet 1 the tallest player in Long Beach history, scored 11 points and had five rebounds in 34 minutes in his debut, but San Diego State (5-5), with no player taller than 6-8, went at him right away.

“What’s he done for two years?” said Aztec Coach Fred Trenkle of Betts, a transfer from C.W. Post. “He’s been a practice player. Let’s see if he can make some decisions.”

Decision-making was a problem. Betts had five turnovers.

“He was a little nervous,” Long Beach State Coach Wayne Morgan said. “He had a game comparable to one in which a player has been away for a while. Andrew will improve and be a strong factor.”

Betts notwithstanding, the 49ers were outrebounded for the seventh game this season, 46-37.

Richey led all scorers with 19 points. Long Beach got double-figure scoring from all five of its starters, led by Quincy Nuckles’ 13 points.