Long Beach State University Athletics
Bobcats Top LBSU, 78-68
11/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Bobcats Escape with 78-68 Win
LONG BEACH, CA – The Montana State women's basketball team erased a 12 point second half deficit and escaped the Walter Pyramid with a 78-68 victory over the 49ers on Friday night. Long Beach State fell to 0-3 on the season, while MSU picked up its first win and improved to 1-1. Freshman Lauren Sims (Fullerton) notched a career-best 20 points on 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Sims also added six rebounds. The last 49er to hit five three-pointers in a contest was Jinga Gosschalk in 2003. Karina Figueroa had nine points and dished out six assists, while Kaiti O'Brien pulled down a team-best seven rebounds. The 49ers shot 37 percent from the field and committed a season-low 16 turnovers. Montana State however out-rebounded The Beach, 42-32, and blocked five shots. Four players had double-figure scoring for MSU, with Rebecca Mercer and Whitney Connolly each registering 17 points. LB opened the second half with a solid scoring run and built a 10 point lead after a Sims three-pointer three minutes into the half. The 49ers increased their lead to 12, 48-36, after an Ally Wade layup, before Montana State chipped away the double-digit deficit down to a 50-50 tie with 10:07 remaining in the game. Long Beach State answered with a 9-4 run to take a 59-54 lead courtesy of another Sims three-pointer. The visitor's fought back and took a 61-59 lead after a Mercer three-pointer at the 5:13 mark in the period. LB held a short lead over the next two minutes, but the Bobcats took the lead for good over the final three minutes. The 49ers found some rhythm early in the first period and built a six point lead, 16-10, after a Madison Pagani layup at the 13:44 mark. Montana State responded with an 11-4 run in a four minute span to take a 21-20 lead after an Erica Perry layup. The Bobcats held a brief two point lead, 26-24, after Scotta Morton converted a three-point play, before Long Beach State answered with an 8-0 run to take a 32-26 lead on two Tyresha Calhoun free throws. LBSU maintained a six point cushion over the last three minutes of the half to preserve the halftime advantage. LB shot 46 percent from the field in the first period, while Figueroa had seven points to lead the way for The Beach. Long Beach State returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 19 vs. Oregon at 2 pm in the Walter Pyramid.
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