The 49ers are on the road for the rest of the season, and it all starts today in a battle for first place against the Northridge Matadors.  I’m sitting at home watching the game on Fox PT, something I haven’t been able to do all year.  So, if you are on your computer, watching the game, or both, leave your comments on the bottom of the page. Go Beach!

Starting Lineups
Long Beach
L. Anderson
C. Ware
G. Plater
T. Robinson
B. Freeman

Northridge
M. Hill
R. Haynes
R. Mels
W. Galick
T. Townsend

18:36 1st Half
Galick is going to work down low with a transition bucket and a put back.  4-0 CSUN Fleming in for Freeman.

17:26
There is nothing more annoying than an announcer who can’t spot who is on the floor.  I take that back.  Another team hitting open 3’s is way more annoying.  14-6 CSUN

15:18
Anderson banks one in and Ware runs a nice three-man break. 14-10

13:27
Townsend has played well so far, but that’s not a surprise.  It’s going to be up to the other Matadors if CSUN wants to get over.  That’s where Galick comes in, I guess.  His puts in the reverse lay up past Fleming.  18-12 CSUN
D-Mo is in, and it looks like he just needs one shot to fall.  I think one nice jump shot could get him going again, since I can’t remember the last time he hit one.

10:56
D-Mo misses another jumper on what looks like contact, but Anderson is there for the put back.  20-18 Matadors Larry is 5-for-5, 10pts

10:00
Out of a timeout, the Matadors come out in the zone and go on a 7-0 run.  Monson calls a timeout and give the boys a tongue lashing.  27-18

7:44
More turnovers by the Beach (5), but like Zoomy and I always say, “Steph just changes sh**.”  Gilling hits two 3’s from his favorite spot on the floor, and it’s 29-24 at the eight minute timeout.

6:25
Foul trouble for Hill and Galick force CSUN back into the zone, and the 49ers miss two bunny lay ups. 31-24

5:00
Two more lazy passes, two more turnovers for Long Beach.  33-24  That’s seven points that the 49ers have just given to the Matadors.  You don’t win games on the road like that, but it’s also a good sign that it’s still close…
I just saw the latest Newport Rib Co. commercial staring coach Monson, and can I say, instant classic.  He does his best Jim Mora impression with “Prime time” instead of “Playoffs.”  We need more Monson commercials.

2:06
T.J. gets to the line, but the LBSU zone defense gives up more 3’s from CSUN… And 1 for Ware!  40-31

1:00
After free throws, Ware finds Anderson flying towards the basket for two.  That play has worked once or twice in the last three games for Long Beach, and they should call it LAX.  But a deep three, another turnover, and a hard foul later… 46-33

HALFTIME  49-36 CSUN
Eleven turnovers and 6-for-8 from behind the arc tell the story.  Honestly, they way the numbers look, the 49ers are lucky they’re only down by 13. 
Larry Anderson 14pts
T.J. Robinson 8pts, 5 reb
Kenny Daniels 12pts
Tremaine Townsend 2 blocks, 2 steals, 4reb

18:00
Gilling hits his first three of the second half, but on the other end, Robinson and Freeman can’t get in front, or behind, of Townsend.  He scores a quick five points and draws two quick fouls.  56-41

17:00
Another turnover leads to a fast break and off a miss, Townsend gets a second And 1 in three trips down the floor.  Robinson comes back on the other end aggressive in the paint and gets two back.  If Long Beach is going to keep pace with Townsend in the second half, it’s going to take a huge effort from Robinson.  58-43

15:31
Robinson gets another jumper to drop, but Townsend comes back and knocks one down.  60-45

13:55
CSUN caps a 12-2 run with a 5-on-1 fast break.  No BS, a 5-on-1.  This is getting ugly. 70-47

10:19
What kind of day is it?  Galick just ran the floor for a reverse tip dunk, and announcer Micheal Cage compared it to Shawn Kemp.   79-51

7:32
All this scoring is good, but you can’t be first in the Big West without playing some defense.  The young ‘Niners are learning that lesson right now as Northridge hits back-to-back uncontested 3’s. 81-59

5:20
D-Mo hits a three and a turn around jumper.  Are those the shots he needs to get that rhythm back I mentioned earlier?  Maybe not in this game, but maybe for the Big West Tournament. 83-65

3:34
The Matador fans start an “Over-Rated” chant.  That has to be a first. 87-67

FINAL 95-74 Northridge
Five Matadors were in double digits, but I’m going to stop there.  There’s no need to go number by number on the stat box.  Bottom line, Long Beach played maybe the worst all-around game of the BWC schedule, and CSUN used the Senior Night momentum to play their most inspired game of the year.  The 49ers could go in two very different directions after this battle for first place, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how they play at Cal Poly, and a very dangerous UC Santa Barbara.