Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
8-3
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UTEP
8-1
Long Beach State Stifles UTEP in 47-40 Victory
12/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Box Score (html) | Box Score (PDF) 
LONG BEACH - The Long Beach State women's basketball team handed UTEP its first loss of the season with a 47-40 victory in the Beach Classic opener Friday evening at the Walter Pyramid.
UTEP (8-1), which was receiving votes in this week's Associated Press Top-25 Poll, finished well below its season scoring average, which stood at 76.9 points per game prior to tonight's contest. The Miners had reached double figures in all but one quarter over their first eight outings, before scoring just seven in the first and eight in the second against the 49ers.
LBSU (8-3) shot under 30 percent for the first time this season, but won the game on the defensive end, keeping UTEP at 31.3 percent, while scoring 19 points off 26 turnovers. Long Beach State also outrebounded the Miners, 45-41.
"Tonight we were really focused on being in the right position defensively," Long Beach State head coach Jody Wynn said. "If we could keep them in the half court and make them attack our half court defense, we thought we had a shot. We didn't want to get into a track meet with them because they're very explosive and athletic, and they love to score in transition. We just tried to limit as many fast break opportunities as we could."
Junior Raven Benton led the Beach with 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Junior Jewelyn Sawyer also had six points and six boards, while freshman Chanterria Jackson added six points and five rebounds. Junior Madison Montgomery chipped in six points on a 3-for-4 performance from the floor.
The first quarter was a defensive battle on both sides as the two teams were tied at 7-7 after 10 minutes of action. Jackson connected for Long Beach State's first field goal with a 3-pointer at the 5:33 mark. LBSU then went on top, 5-2, before the Miners scored the next five points, but Montgomery answered with a layup to even the playing field.
The second period picked up with four lead changes in the first two minutes. The 49ers then went on a 13-3 run to pull ahead, 23-14, with 28 seconds remaining. Benton accounted for eight of LBSU's 13 points during that stretch. The home team also held UTEP to just one free throw over the final six minutes to take a 23-15 advantage into the locker room.
Long Beach State continued where it left off after the break, opening the third frame on an 8-1 spurt, capped by a three from sophomore Cecily Wilson, to go up, 31-16, at the 7:06 mark. The Miners then made their first field goal in over nine minutes, but LBSU stayed out front by double digits and held a 40-25 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Beach put the game out of reach about midway through the fourth period as it went up by 21 after a Gigi Hascheff layup with 6:15 left in regulation. UTEP made a late push over the final four minutes, when the 49ers had all three of their freshmen on the court, to make the final score look a lot closer than it was at 47-40.
Jenzel Nash led UTEP with 13 points. The Miners finished with 26 turnovers and only three assists.
Long Beach State will conclude the Beach Classic on Sunday, Dec. 20, when it squares off against UNLV at 2 p.m. (PST).
NOTES: Head Coach Jody Wynn is two victories away from her 100th career win ... Long Beach State has held eight of its opponents to 60 points or fewer, and four to under 50 ... The Beach is tops in the Big West with an 8-3 record ... The 49ers won the battle in the rebounding department for the first time this year, finishing with a season-best 45 boards ... LBSU has forced seven of the 11 teams it has faced into 20 or more turnovers ... Long Beach State now owns a 34-7 all-time record when playing in its own December tournament.
