Long Beach State University
10-12, 4-5BWC
Cal State Fullerton
11-10, 5-4BWC
LBSU drops 81-75 overtime heartbreaker to Cal State Fullerton
2/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 4, 2010
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Long Beach State rallied from a seven-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation to force overtime, but Cal State Fullerton answered to beat a depleted 49er team 81-75 at the Walter Pyramid in front of 4,806 on Thursday night.
Casper Ware sparked the second half comeback that included rallying from a 12-point halftime deficit with 13 points in the second half. He added two five in the first half and two in overtime to finish with 20 points, four assists and five steals. Larry Anderson also scored 20 points for The Beach (10-12, 4-5 Big West), T.J. Robinson had his 13th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Eugene Phelps added 10 points and three blocks.
Ware's heroics were sidelined in part due to severe cramps. The sophomore guard missed a jumper that would have won the game at the buzzer in regulation and immediately went to the ground with leg cramps, which forced him to sit the first two minutes of overtime. It was the second time cramps set Ware to the bench. The 49ers also lost guards Greg Plater and Stephan Gilling in overtime with five fouls, with Plater fouling out 15 seconds into the extra period.
Cal State Fullerton (11-10, 5-4 Big West) capitalized behind the play of Aaron Thompson and Gerard Anderson in the extra period. Thompson scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in overtime to lead the Titans to the win. Anderson added four of his 12 points on the Titans' second and third possessions of OT.
Long Beach State struggled shooting making just 42.9 percent (33-of-77) of its shots, including a woeful 11.1 percent (2-of-18) form 3-point range and 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from the line. Fullerton hit on 50 percent (31-of-62) from the floor and 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from three.
The Beach stayed in the game forcing 25 Titan turnovers and by outscoring CSF 56-36 in the paint.
