Long Beach State University
UC Irvine
Beach women top UC Irvine, 66-65
2/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2009
IRVINE, Calif. - The Long Beach State women's basketball team, which relinquished its lead only once, was able to hold off a late surge from UC Irvine to pick up a key 66-65 victory Thursday evening at Bren Events Center.
With the win, The Beach improved to 8-18 on the season and 4-9 in Big West Conference play, while the Anteaters dropped to 6-21 overall and 3-11 in league action.
LBSU finished the evening with an impressive 47.3 field goal percentage as three 49ers put up double figures, led by junior Whitney Fields who notched her seventh double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore LaTorya Barbee poured in 16 points, while senior Kaiti O'Brien rounded out the trio with 10.
Long Beach State jumped out to an early 8-0 advantage after a jumper by O'Brien at the 17:21 mark. The 49ers stayed in command until UCI took its first and only lead of the night with 43 seconds remaining in the first half, but Barbee came back down the court to drain a 3-pointer with 19 seconds on the clock to give The Beach a 34-32 lead at the break.
LBSU opened the second period on a 12-2 run, capped by a Barbee layup, to go up by a 46-34 margin at the 16:22 mark, but UCI slowly chipped away, giving the 49ers a scare in the final minutes. After a 3-pointer by Kirian Ishizaki, The Beach led by just two (64-62) with 1:38 to play. The Anteaters were unsuccessful on their next three possessions, however, and they fouled O'Brien after she picked up a defensive rebound with 12 seconds remaining. O'Brien would sink both free throws, giving LBSU the cushion it needed as Rebecca Maessen made a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Ishizaki led UCI with 17 points, while Maessen added 16. Kelly Cochran also finished in double figures with 14 points.
Long Beach State returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 28, when it plays host to Cal State Fullerton. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.
