Long Beach Letdown Is Only Half Bad

Off to its best conference start in 23 seasons and unbeaten since Dec. 4, Long Beach State was due for a letdown.

Thursday night, the 49ers played without much emotion, had no offensive rhythm and were disorganized, out-rebounded and out-hustled throughout the first 30 minutes of the game. And they won by 14.

In a game that served as another statement to the Big West as to its dominance, Long Beach State overcame its worst first half in nearly two months to catch and run past Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 75-61, before 2,344 at the Pyramid.

In doing so, the 49ers (13-3 overall, 5-0 in conference play), extended their winning streak to 11, tied for sixth-longest in school history.

But the streak looked like it was over in the first half. The Mustangs (6-11, 1-4) out-rebounded the 49ers, 22-15, after 20 minutes, including an 11-4 edge in offensive rebounds, to grab a 34-29 lead at the half.

And Long Beach State was doing as much to hurt itself as it was to help, committing nearly as many turnovers, 10, as it had field goals, 11.

“We didn’t play well in the first half. But I don’t think any basketball team can play [at its best] for 40 consecutive halves,” 49er Coach Wayne Morgan said. “You have to make adjustments. We were able to make adjustments and win it.”

The 49ers dominated the boards in the second half, 23-8. Long Beach committed six turnovers while forcing seven after half time. And the 49ers shot 53% in the second half.

Leading the comeback were forward Rudy Williams, who had a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds, and guard Ron Johnson, who tied his career high with 12 points in his second consecutive start.

Johnson started in place of point guard Charles O’Neal, who left the team last week. O’Neal returned to the team earlier this week, but did not play Thursday.

It was Johnson’s hustle that seemed to get the 49ers charged, and one sequence in particular changed the game.

With the score tied at 47 with 9:30 to play, the 6-foot-1 sophomore soared above a crowd after a miss and slammed home the rebound, bringing the crowd to a roar.

On Long Beach’s next possession, he fed Williams inside for a score and then stole the ball near midcourt and scored on a layup. The 49ers had a 53-47 lead with 8:56 left and never trailed.

“That sequence gave us the momentum to finish the game,” Morgan said. “For 30 to 32 minutes, they gave us all we could handle.”

After the game, Williams said Thursday’s first half won’t be repeated any time soon.

“We were playing like we never played before [in the first half],” he said. “It’s something I’ve never seen before and something I never want to see again.”