In Game Photos Provided By Anthony Ibarra, Ibarra Images
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We wrap up doubleheader Saturday in the ‘Myd as Long Beach State men’s basketball plays host to UC Irvine. LBSU is trying to get their first win in Big West play after a bad loss to Fullerton on Thursday…
Scouting UC Irvine
The Anteaters are in the middle of a four-game roadie as Big West play is underway. They got it started right at CSUN on Thursday night with a close win, 65-62. Five different ‘Eaters got into double digits, but normally the offense goes through Eric Wise and Michael Hunter. The sophomore Wise already has back-to-back Big West Player of the Week awards as he’s averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds in the paint. Hunter roams the perimeter and leads the team with 43 three pointers and 23 steals while averaging 15 points per game.
STARTING FIVE SUPRISE
LBSU
You 49er fans asked him to shake it up and he did, Lin Chang and Jesse Woodard start.
FIRST HALF
Irvine wins the tip…
18:00
Irvine is feeding Wise early, but at the other end Eugene Phelps is getting what he wants. Greg Plater picks up where he left off on Thursday night and hits a three. Moore hits a layup on the baseline. 5-5 Irvine
16:25
LINE CHANGE!!! Lazdauskas, Fleming, Robinson, Gilling and Ware come in for Long Beach.
15:26
Timeout on the floor after Robinson makes a jumper on the baseline, and Wise misses the some shot on the other end. 7-5 Long Beach
The substitution juggling show by Monson and his staff is a sign of how frustrated they are with this team and it’s effort in the two games at Riverside and Fullerton. So far, it’s working on defense with two steals, two more forced Irvine turnovers, and block from Fleming.
11:32
Timeout on the floor after the active 49er defense forces Irvine into a shot clock violation. Gilling is yelling and clapping. Monson meets the team on the floor with some aggressive butt slaps. This team has some spirit today. After two losses on the road, that’s important to note. 9-5 LB
9:30
Ware to the tin for the floater, and on the next trip down he goes to bucket again, this time laying it off to Robinson for his fourth point. 13-7 LB
7:30
Timeout on the floor after Wilson Bruin Mike Wilder checks into the game and hits his first jumper from the baseline. 13-11 LB
I mentioned that spirit earlier, how about Kyle Richardson (in the game early off the bench) jumping over the media table to try and save an errant pass.
5:40
Plater moves quickly around the screen and draws the foul on the three point attempt. He makes all three free throws (I know, right!) and at the other end Chang on help defense ties up the ball for a jump. Arrow, Long Beach. 16-15 LB
4:00
Chang takes the charge on the baseline! He’s been a bolt of lightning on the defensive end. He draws the foul on a nice move seconds later, and makes both free throws (I know, right!). He gets a nice ovation when Fleming replaces him. 18-15 LB
2:30
Wilder with a three from the corner. Hard not to clap for a great kid from the Moore League. Moore hits a three from the other corner on the next trip down. 23-19 Irvine
1:09
Phelps comes out to the three point line for a huge block on Moore and this lazy Saturday crowd wakes up a bit. But Wilder comes off a screen at the foul line and draws the foul. Eight team fouls a piece. 25-21 Irvine
17.3
Offensive foul on Wise, his first, Beach gets final shot of half… Gilling’s three is short and we go to recess.
HALFTIME
Irvine 25, Long Beach 21
The energy is there, and you have to figure the offense will come at some point. The Beach is just 33% (6-for-18) from the field and everything else on the stat sheet is almost identical. The shots just aren’t falling. Both teams have 11 rebounds and 12 turnovers. Wilder leads the way for the ‘Eaters with 7 pts and Plater is the top scorer for Long Beach with 6 pts, one three pointer and those three free throws.
It’s going to be one of those games (much like the game earlier) where it’s a little messy and the team that wants it more will make the hustle plays late to win a close one. Classic Big West basketball.
By the way, your guess is as good as mine as to who starts for the Beach in the second half…
SECOND HALF
Irvine ball, with the OG starting lineup for the Beach (Anderson, Ware, Gilling, Robinson, Phelps)
17:33
Robinson chases down a long rebound and hits the jumper. Anderson does the same off a Ware miss on the next trip. 31-28 Irvine
15:53
Anderson for three from the corner, his seventh point. 32-31 UCI
14:22
Robinson takes it away from Wilder in the backcourt and dunks it home to tie it up! 35-35
See above: “the team that wants it more will make the hustle plays late to win a close one. Classic Big West basketball.” That’s what I meant. Robinson was in the middle of the press and crashed on Wilder with the ball still in the air. Hustle. Some Bounce. Good to see.
13:16
The ball was on the floor under the Irvine basket, and Folker picks it up and goes up for the lay in. Here comes Big A Lazdauskas with the block, outlet pass from Ware to Anderson, and Larry doesn’t hesitate. He goes straight down the lane, draws the foul, And-1! 37-35 LB
11:47
Ware is all in Moore and forces a turnover, then comes down and hits a jumper. On the next trip he nails an open three from the wing. 42-37 LB That’s a 7-2 run since Robinson’s dunk.
11:16
Phelps misses a hook shot and gets called for the push on the rebound, then Ware is called for tripping in the backcourt. Just like that, ‘Eaters in the bonus. 42-40 LB
10:16
Staying aggressive, Ware off the baseline move through the lane to the floater, And-1! 45-40 LB
8:05
Just like at the end of the first half, Phelps comes out on the three and blocks the shot. Ware gathers the loose ball and brings in to the far side over the timeline. Like a man on fire, Phelps sprints down the near side to the key. Ware sees him on the move and lofts it up for the RIM SHAKING ALLY-OOP! 47-40 LB
6:47
Moore with the steal and the fast break lay up. Next trip down he hits a fall away jumper in front of the ‘Eater bench. The senior has eight points and two steals. 47-42 LB
4:56
Ware turns it over on the break, and Folker draws the foul at the other end. 49-46 LB
2:30
Folker again in the lane. He’s taking advantage of everyone watching Wise. Robinson answers with a nice move on block, and the foul. 53-51 LB
1:30
Wise jumper ties it at 53-53, but Ware answers with a jump stop in the key and a jumper. 55-53 LB
50.5
Wise shot is long, Long Beach timeout. Still 55-53
35.0
Out of the timeout, the 49ers look confused and Ware is forced to take a long three from the top of the key. It’s long, Hunter with the rebound, timeout Irvine.
4.1
Wise on the baseline move, miss but Irvine rebound. Wise again, miss. Folker with the two hand put back, but it’s too strong. Robinson with the rebound and he gets fouled, but he misses the front end of the 1-and-1. Irvine rebound and timeout. 55-53 LB ‘Eaters have to go the length of the floor.
LAST PLAY (pic): Hunter takes the pass and sprints past Ware on his way to running into Phelps at the block. The shot goes in off glass, but it was a half second too late. You just can’t go end to end in four seconds, or at least Michael Hunter can’t.
FINAL
Long Beach 55, Irvine 53
Hard fought, close, Beach wins with energy and fight. I love it when I’m right.
Press Conference video coming soon. Thanks for reading, feel free to leave post-game comments.