Long Beach State University
CSUN
Quick Start Sends 49ers Past Cal State Northridge
3/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
January 26, 2008
Long Beach, Calif. - Long Beach State parlayed a ferocious defensive effort over the first ten minutes into a 71-56 win over Cal State Northridge. In her second game back, Karina Figueroa scored a team-high 18 points to lead the 49ers, and freshman LaTorya Barbee added 13, and the 49ers improved to 2-4 in Big West play.
Barbee's 13 points were a career-high for the freshman, and the 49ers grabbed a season-high 45 rebounds, led by Courtney Jacob who finished with 11 boards. Brett Timmons also nabbed nine rebounds, and Tyresha Calhoun finished with seven.
Long Beach State dominated the first ten minutes of the game. The 49ers opened up the contest with a 15-0 run, counting on balanced scoring from nearly every player on the floor. Defensively over that same period, the 49ers were very strong, holding the Matadors scoreless on 0-10 shooting to start the game. Cal State Northridge finally got on the board with 11:08 to play in the first half as Katie Holloway hit the second of a pair of free throws. At 9:06 Holloway picked up the Matadors first field goal in the half, but Long Beach State quickly answered for an 18-3 score after a Karina Figueroa jumper on the other end.
Two quick threes from Northridge cut the lead to 9 at 21-12, but the 49ers grabbed a fast break basket to bring the lead back to double-digits. Figueroa hit a three for 26-13 lead, and from there the teams traded baskets for the rest of the half to take a 34-20 score into the break. Overall, the 49ers were outstanding defensively, holding Cal State Northridge to 25.% shooting in the first half, and their leading scorer Whitney Ligon to two points.
The Beach scored the first two points in the second half, but Cal State Northridge started a 6-0 run to cut the lead down to 10 at 17:11. Cal State Northridge brought the advantage all the way back to eight, but Calhoun knocked down a three, and a Barbee fast break basket helped the 49ers weather the storm temporarily.
The Matadors were able to cut the lead down to six at 46-40, but the 49ers got a lift from Barbee and Figueroa one more time, scoring six straight points and holding the Matadors at 40 for the next few minutes to regain control. Cal State Northridge again cut the lead to six with 6:00 to play, but the 49ers held defensively over the next two and a half minutes, and a three-point play by Figueroa helped the 49ers close out the game down the stretch. Holloway finished with 22 points for the Matadors, but Cal State Northridge never got closer than six for the remainder of the game.
Long Beach State resumes normal conference play next week, taking on Cal State Fullerton on the road Thursday night at 7 p.m. before hosting UC Irvine as part of a double-header with the men on Saturday, Feb. 2. Tipoff for the women's game kicks off the action at 4 p.m.
