Long Beach State University
Portland State
49ers Fall in Closing Seconds to Portland State
3/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
December 1, 2007
Portland, Ore. - Claire Faucher hit a jumper from the free throw line with two seconds left to lead Portland State (6-1) to a 73-71 victory over Long Beach State (1-5) on Sunday afternoon. The 49ers had a chance to tie it, but a Lauren Sims jumper from 10 feet out rimmed out after the 49ers went the length of the court.
Karina Figueroa gave the 49ers a 71-69 lead with 53 seconds left, before a Kelly Marchant jumper with 35.5 seconds left tied it at 71-71. LBSU had used an 18-0 run to take an eight point lead with seven minutes left, before PSU got back in the game with a 9-0 run to erase the lead.
Faucher finished with 22 points, including a three-pointer that tied it at 69-69 with 1:18 left. She hit 6-of-9 three-pointers and was 8-of-12 from the field.
Figueroa led three 49ers in double digits with 20 points, while Sims added 19 points. Tyresha Calhoun finished her afternoon with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, as the 49ers shot 48 percent for the game.
The Vikings shot 42 percent for the game. A Faucher three capped a 9-0 run with 3:46 left to erase the 49ers lead after their own run gave them their first lead since the closing minutes of the first half.
The 49ers went on an impressive 18-0 run paced by four-straight layups to lead 65-57 with 7:37 left on a Figueroa three-pointer.
A Faucher three-pointer followed by a Erin Yankus layup gave PSU a 57-45 lead with 12:44, forcing another 49er timeout, capping a 9-2 run.
Two quick three-pointers by Delaney Conway to start the second half gave PSU a 45-38 and forced a 49er timeout with 18:43 left.
The 49ers led for much of the first half, until a late run gave the Vikings a 39-36 lead. Blistering shooting by the 49ers, at 52 percent for the half, gave them a 24-14 lead off a Sims layup at 8:28. LBSU went up 13-6 early off a Calhoun layup at 15:25. Sims led with 12 first half points, while Calhoun added 10.
The Vikings though used a 13-3 run over a three-minute stretch late in the half to turn a 10-point deficit into a 27-27 tie off a Claire Faucher three with 5:41. PSU shot 40 percent in the half.
The game was played at NAIA Concordia University in Northeast Portland due to a faulty sprinkler and ensuing flood at PSU's main gymnasium.
LBSU starting wing Courtney Jacob did not play today due to a sore leg. She is day-to-day, as the 49ers remained without starter Valeriya Mussina (elbow) as well.
The 49ers begin a seven-game home stand through January 5, beginning with Fresno State on Friday, December 7 at 7 p.m. and Arizona and former Head Coach Joan Bonvicini on Sunday, December 9 at 2 p.m.
