For a while, it looked like head coach Dan Monson and the Long Beach State men’s basketball team was going to enter its Big West Conference schedule with a winning record.
The 49ers (5-7) dropped an 86-74 decision at Oregon on Monday in the team’s final tune-up before conference play begins. Senior guard Donovan Morris, who was named the Big West Player of the Week for the third time this season on Monday, scored a game-high 18 points in the loss.
The ‘Niners will host UC Santa Barbara on Friday at 7:05 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid.
The Gauchos (6-6) enter the contest winners in three of their last five games.
The 49ers surprised many by hanging tough on the road with Brigham Young and No. 21 Wisconsin to start the season. Donovan Morris and Co. then reeled off four consecutive victories, including overcoming a 23-point second-half deficit against Weber State in the home opener on Homecoming Night.
LBSU quickly dropped four in a row, including a double-overtime loss on the road at San Francisco, a nine-point loss in a rematch with Weber State, a 79-55 loss on the road to No. 13 Syracuse and a disappointing 14-point loss to Montana State at the Walter Pyramid.
In the final loss of the skid, Monson even brought Morris off the bench in an attempt to shake things up.
A change like that to bring the unquestioned leader of a team off the bench can either fire up or discourage a team. The ‘Niners responded in their next game with the same gritty play they showcased in the first four wins of the season.
Facing the Temple Owls, who upset No. 8 Tennessee a little more than a week earlier, the 49ers pulled off their own upset with a 76-71 victory.
Junior Stephan Gilling and a host of other defenders shut down Owls star Dionte Christmas, holding him scoreless in the first half. Christmas scored 19 in the second half and nearly led a wild comeback in the final minute, but LBSU held on.
For a look at the rest of the conference and team records, click here.
‘Focus’ the key for women’s team
Head coach Mary Hegarty has preached the importance of “focus” to her team the past few weeks.
As much as that — and slow starts to games — has been a problem for LBSU, having a healthy lineup wouldn’t hurt, either.
Already this season, the 49ers have played stretches without star guard Karina Figueroa (foot injury; has yet to play this season but has been cleared to practice since Dec. 12), LaTorya Barbee (recovering from surgery on her right foot; on the mend) and Sahfiya Brown (torn ACL in her right knee; out for the season).
The 49ers (3-8) will head into Big West action following a 76-63 loss on the road at Fresno State on Monday.
LBSU will travel to UC Santa Barbara (4-6) on Friday to open conference play at 7 p.m.
While the ‘Niners have played without their leader, the team did watch the emergence of junior Courtney Jacob.
Along with junior transfer Whitney Fields, Jacob has averaged a team-leading 12 points per game. She also was named the Big West Player of the Week following a career-high 30-point performance at Loyola Marymount on Nov. 24.
While Jacob has been stuffing the box score with her all-around effort, not too many wins have followed.
Hegarty may have lit a fire under Fields, however.
In the team’s last home game — a 74-61 win over New Mexico State on Dec. 22 — Fields was brought off the bench for a second consecutive game and responded with a career-high 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting.
With a possible inside force in Fields and the imminent return of Figueroa to be paired with Jacob, the 49ers should at least be a tougher team in 2009.
For a look at the rest of the conference and team records, click here.