Nov. 26, 2009

Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Things started bad for Long Beach State and got worse in the first game of the 76 Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center Thursday. No. 8 West Virginia nailed three 3-pointers in the first 1:56 of the game and then controlled it from there en route to an 85-62 win over LBSU.

Long Beach State (3-2) struggled with the Mountaineers pressure most of the game. LBSU committed 22 turnovers, including 15 in the first half. West Virginia (3-0) took advantage outscoring The Beach 28-8 off of turnovers including 15-2 before the break.

West Virginia used the confidence gained hitting the threes in the first two minutes to remain hot. The Mountaineers converted on 51.8 percent (29-of-56) of their shots, including 50 percent (12-of-24) from three. LBSU countered making 41.9 percent from the field (18-of-43) and 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from three.

The Beach struggled to stay close early falling behind by 11, 20-9, ten minutes into the game. They got back within eight on a three from Stephan Gilling, but then WV went on a 17-4 run to push the lead to 21 late in the first half.

The Beach cut the lead to 14 early in the second half but couldn't get any closer eventually falling behind by as many as 27.

Gilling and Greg Plater led the 49ers with 14 points each, combining to make 8-of-18 shots from 3-point range. Plater and Gilling both hit 4-of-9 from three. T.J. Robinson added 10 points and had a game-high nine rebounds.

Larry Anderson, LBSU's leading scorer coming into the game, finished with just five points, all from the free throw line. He also had eight of Long Beach State's turnovers and didn't score a basket for the first time since the 49ers' 76-64 win over UC Santa Barbara in last year's Big West Conference opener in Long Beach. It was also just the second time in the sophomore's career that he has failed to make a basket.

Long Beach State will play the loser of Thursday's second game, Clemson or Texas A&M, at 2 p.m. in the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday.