Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
6-23, 3-12
Cal Poly
12-16, 7-8
Cal Poly Outlasts 49ers
3/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 6, 2008
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Cal Poly out-scored Long Beach State 10-2 in the final 2:48 of the game to come away with a 68-62 Big West Conference victory over the 49ers on Thursday evening at the Walter Pyramid. Lorenzo Keller tallied 22 points to lead the Mustangs, who improved to 12-16 overall and 7-8 in the Big West. The 49ers fell to 6-23 overall and 3-12 in the league standings.
The 49ers led 60-58 at the 2:48 mark after a lay-up by Cornel Williams. Long Beach would not score again until two free throws by Maurice Clady with three seconds left in the game. Cal Poly took the lead for good on a three-pointer by Matt Hanson at the 1:58 mark. The Mustangs got a backdoor lay-up from Lorenzo Keeler with one minute left to grab a 64-60 lead and then they knocked down four consecutive free throws to expand the lead to 68-60.
Arturas Lazdauskas led the 49ers with a career-high 15 points, also adding seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Brandon Johnson added 12 points off the bench in the second half and Clady chipped in with 11 points and seven assists. The 49ers leading scorer, Donovan Morris at 21.1 points per game, was held to just seven points, his second-lowest output of the season.
Keeler led the Mustangs with 22 points and Trae Clark added 10. Cal Poly shot .414 (24-58) from the field and knocked down nine three-pointers, five by Keeler. The Mustangs also won the battle on the backboards, out-rebounding the 49ers 39-to-29. Shawn Lewis and Titus Shelton both grabbed six boards.
The 49ers led 29-27 at the half thanks to 10 points by Lazdauskas and just four turnovers. The 49ers trailed 22-21 at the 5:41 mark, but then used a 7-0 run, punctuated by a Cornel Williams three, to grab a 28-22 lead at 2:03. The 49ers were 9-10 at the free throw line and forced nine Cal Poly turnovers. Keeler kept the Mustangs in the game with 15 points.
In the second half the 49ers trailed 44-39, but went on an 11-4 run to take a 50-48 lead with 6:08 remaining. Johnson tallied eight points during that run for the 49ers. Cal Poly then went up 58-54 after a three-point play by Thomas at the 3:50 mark.
The 49ers, despite the loss, clinched a spot in next week's Big West Conference Tournament, thanks to UC Davis' loss at UC Irvine. The 49ers still can be the No. 7 seed if they beat UC Santa Barbara on Saturday and UC Riverside loses at home to UC Davis.
The 49ers host UCSB on Saturday at 4 pm in the Walter Pyramid in its annual Homecoming game.
