Long Beach State University
3-2
NM State
2-2
49ers Top New Mexico State, 82-77
11/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2008
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) -Donovan Morris scored a season-high 30 points and Long Beach State won its third straight as the 49ers defeated New Mexico State 82-77 Sunday.
Morris made 9 of 16 shots, including four 3-pointers.
Trailing 75-71 with 2:16 remaining in the game, Morris led a 9-0 run to give Long Beach State an 80-75 lead. Gordo Castillo made two free throws for the Aggies to trim the lead to 80-77. However, Casper Ware had a steal and made two free throws for the 49ers with six seconds left to seal the win.
Ware finished with 15 points and six rebounds for the 49ers (3-2).
Long Beach State outrebounded New Mexico State 31-28 and shot 61 percent (14-23) in the second half.
Jahmar Young scored 17 points and Wendell McKines added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Aggies (2-2).
Midway through the first half the Aggies went on a 13-0 run to erase a nine point deficit. Hamidu Rahman's two free throws gave New Mexico State a 23-19 lead.
The Aggies increased their lead to 30-22 on a basket by McKines. However, Morris scored nine of his 14 first-half points in the final three and 1/2 minutes of the half, including a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds remaining, to cut the New Mexico State lead to 36-35 at intermission.
McKines made 8 of 10 shots and scored 16 points in the opening half for the Aggies.
