The way this season has gone so far, it’s time to start building some momentum, and any kind of momentum will do.  The Long Beach State women’s basketball team closed out a four-game road swing with a 56-47 loss to host Arizona Sunday afternoon in front of 1,498 fans at McKale Center.  Unfortunately, this is the type of game Long Beach will need to use in order to improve.

LBSU (32.2 percent) outshot the Wildcats (29.6 percent) but were just 4-for-6 from the free throw line, while the home team hit 21 of its 26 attempts. Arizona also held a 46 to 36 advantage in the rebounding department.

Long Beach State (2-6) was led by freshman Adelle Walton, who had a season-high 13 points. Junior Courtney Jacob chipped in eight points, while classmate Lauren Sims added seven.  Junior Whitney Fields also had six points and a team-high seven rebounds for the 49ers.

In a low-scoring first half, LBSU shot just 27.6 percent from the field, but was able to hold the Wildcats to a 21.2 field goal percentage.

Arizona (5-4) jumped out to an early 5-1 advantage and would go up by as many as seven before the 49ers started to chip away with a baseline jumper by Sims tying the game at 18-18. The Beach would eventually take its first lead of the afternoon on a pair of Sims free throws at the six-minute mark. LBSU was able to stay on top for the remainder of the half, going up 22-21 at the break.

The two teams went back-and-forth in the second period and the 49ers trailed by just two at 46-44 after a layup by Jacob with 2:06 left to play. The Wildcats eventually pulled ahead in the final minute as they hit eight consecutive free throws down the stretch to hold on for the 56-47 win.

Long Beach State will return to the Walter Pyramid on Saturday, Dec. 20, when it takes on Brigham Young at 5:30 p.m.

From Reports By Long Beach State Sports Information Department