Pacific Pounds 49ers for 14th Straight Win

Michael Olowokandi had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Pacific easily defeated Long Beach State, 63-47, Saturday night in a Big West Conference men’s basketball game.

It was the 14th straight victory for the Tigers (21-8, 14-2), who sit atop the Big West’s Western Division. Pacific already has clinched the division’s No. 1 seeding for the conference tournament, Friday in Reno, Nev.

Long Beach State (10-18, 5-11) has lost its last four games, but also has earned an appearance in the Big West tournament.

Jason Williams had 17 points and Aaron Woliczko had 10 for the Tigers.

Andrew Betts, the 49ers’ top scorer, had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Pacific took a 20-point lead on Woliczko’s three-pointer with 5 minutes 12 seconds to go, which put the Tigers up, 56-36. But the 49ers climbed back to within 12 points, 57-45, on Betts’ free throw with 2:13 left.

The Tigers jumped to a 19-9 lead on Rayne Mahaffey’s basket with 11:59 to go in the first half.