March 13, 2010

Box Score

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Casper Ware led four Long Beach State players in double figures with 19 points but it wasn't enough as the 49ers lost 69-64 to UC Santa Barbara in the championship game of the Big West Conference Tournament on Saturday night at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Ware earned all-tournament honors, along with Larry Anderson and T.J. Robinson, after making 7-of-15 shots and all three of his free throws. He also had five steals for the second straight game and two assists. War finished the tournament averaging 16.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals in The Beach's three games.

Robinson added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Greg Plater scored 15 points and handed out five assists for the 49ers (17-16). Anderson chipped in 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Orlando Johnson led the Gauchos (20-9) with 20 points, thanks in part to 11-of-12 shooting from the free throw line.

A sluggish first half doomed the 49ers. UCSB built an 11-point lead late in the first half thanks to some missed opportunities by LBSU. The Beach committed 10 turnovers in the first half and missed some easy opportunities at the rim that came back to hurt it in the end. Despite the struggles in the first half LBSU cut the lead to five at the half.

In the second half, The Beach battled back from a 10-point deficit eventually taking a lead on a 3-pointer by Plater with 5:09 to play. UCSB rallied regaining the lead for good with 4:52 to play on a pair of free throws by Johnson and eventually built the lead back to five points.

The 49ers scrambled back getting within one point four times, but the Gauchos clinched the game at the line where they made 21-of-24 in the game.