The Long Beach State men’s basketball team had an up-and-down weekend that started with a loss to Cal State Northridge but ended with a win over UC Riverside and a pairing with Cal State Fullerton in the first round of the Big West Tournament.
The 49ers (14-16, 10-6 Big West) finished in third place in the Big West, ending their run of three straight regular season conference titles. They now face a challenging field in the Big West Tournament.
“Every team that’s beaten us this season we have to go through to make the NCAA Tournament and you embrace that as a competitor,” head coach Dan Monson said. “We’ve been preparing for this task for the past six months — it’s exciting.”
LBSU locked up the third seed in the conference tournament on Thursday evening when UC Santa Barbara defeated Hawaii. But the 49ers were busy at the time trying to win a game at the Matadome against CSUN.
LBSU held the lead for most of the first half but lost it at the 4:58 mark when CSUN’s Stephen Hicks made a 3-pointer. The Matadors (15-17, 7-9 Big West) gradually expanded their lead and went into halftime up 43-38.
It stayed that way for the rest of the game. The 49ers came within two points with as little as 2:29 to play, but CSUN held a five- to seven-point for most of the second half. Every time LBSU came close, the Matadors made a big play to restore separation.
CSUN ultimately won, 91-83. It was the first time this season the 49ers lost with Tyler Lamb (22 points), Mike Caffey (19) and Dan Jennings (12) all scoring in double figures.
“We couldn’t stop them,” Monson said. “We’re not that potent of an offense to do that … these small, athletic teams, we’re having trouble with.”
The 49ers recovered two days later as they hosted UCR on Senior Night. LBSU never trailed in a 74-67 win, leading by ten or more during most of the second half.
Jennings, the 49ers’ only active senior, ended his regular-season career at LBSU with his fourth straight double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
“I’m glad Dan [Jennings] was able to go out on such a positive note,” Monson said. “He has grown as a player and as a person the last couple of years.”
Jennings said it was important for the 49ers to win Saturday after losing two straight games before.
“This win gives us confidence after we lost a couple of tough games this week,” he said. “We have a clean mindset now.”
The 49ers will now prepare for the Big West Tournament, where they will meet CSUF in the first round on Thursday. The Titans finished in a tie for sixth in the conference but have beaten both LBSU and second-place UCSB.
“This conference reminds me of a small Big East when I was playing for West Virginia,” Jennings said. “You can’t sleep on any team in this conference.”