Long Beach Stuns Utah St.; Irvine Alone in First

Everyone else in the Big West Conference knows what Long Beach State can do if the 49ers put their minds to it. Utah State found that out in a harsh, 40-minute lesson Saturday night.

Long Beach put together its most complete game of the season in knocking the Aggies out of a first-place tie with UC Irvine in a 71-56 victory before 3,755 at the Pyramid.

It was Utah State’s worst loss since a 77-42 defeat Dec. 7, 1999, at Utah and its worst Big West defeat since Jan. 23, 1999, at Idaho, 77-58. The Aggies, 22-4 overall and 11-2 in conference, have lost only two conference games in the last two seasons.

The 49ers (15-11, 8-5) controlled the game throughout. They shot 49.2% from the field and committed only 12 turnovers.

“Obviously it was the most complete 40 minutes of basketball we’ve played this year,” Long Beach Coach Wayne Morgan said. “Our kids played very well tonight and they kept their concentration throughout the game in all phases. Offensively, defensively, rebounding. Everybody understood what we were supposed to do.”

Led by Travis Reed’s 19 points and 14 rebounds and sparked by the play of guards Michael Darrett and Ron Johnson, Long Beach took the lead in the final minute of the first half.

The 49ers added to it with a 15-2 run punctuated by Darrett’s three-point basket for a 67-53 lead. Saturday’s performance was the opposite of Long Beach’s listless 76-60 loss Jan. 11 at Logan, Utah.

“That was as big a tail-kicker as we’ve had in a while,” Utah State Coach Stew Morrill said. “They didn’t show us how good they are in Logan. Long Beach can play with anybody in the conference.”

Darrett had 14 points and five assists and Johnson added 12 points. Long Beach held the Aggies to only three field goals in the final 10:51.