Casper Ware scored 16 points to lead the Long Beach State 49ers to a 70-58 victory over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos in a Big West Conference tilt at Walter Pyramid.
Eugene Phelps and James Ennis added 14 points each for Long Beach State (20-7, 13-0 BWC) as it clinched the Big West Conference regular season title for the second straight year. Ennis also grabbed seven rebounds in the winning effort.
Orlando Johnson paced UCSB with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field. James Nunnally recorded a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds while Kyle Boswell chipped in 11 points off the bench for the Gauchos, who lost their second-game in a row.
The 49ers took a 32-22 lead into the intermission after they shot 42.9 percent from the floor and knocked down 4-of-8 from beyond the arc in the opening period. UCSB fell behind after it made just 32 percent of its field goals in the first half.
Long Beach State was able to extend its lead after the break by knocking down 45.5 percent of its field goal attempts in the final 20 minutes. The Gauchos were more competitive in the second half, as they hit 10-of-15 from the charity stripe, but the improved effort was not enough and the 49ers were able to extend their regular season winning streak against conference foes to 21- games.
Despite the loss, UCSB held a 47-34 advantage in the rebounding battle. Long Beach State's head coach Dan Monson picked up the 250th win of his career with the victory.
Game Notes
