Feb. 10, 2011

Final Stats

DAVIS, Calif. - The UC Davis men's basketball team couldn't slow down Long Beach State as the league-leading 49ers shot 65 percent from the floor and put five players in double figures en route to a 93-69 win in Big West action at The Pavilion on Thursday night.

UC Davis (8-15, 3-8) outscored Long Beach State (14-10, 9-2) 41-38 in the second half, but couldn't overcome a 55-28 deficit at halftime. The 49ers led by as many as 31 in the second half and never led by less than 19 in the final minutes.

Long Beach State was led by Casper Ware, who shot a perfect 7 of 7 from the floor and 4 of 4 from behind the arc for a game high 23 points, to go along with seven assists. T.J. Robinson posted a double double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, after shooting 9 of 12 for the game.

UC Davis also had four players reach double figures, led by Mark Payne's 13 points on 5 of 8 shooting. Josh Ritchart had 12 points off the bench, shooting 4 of 6 from three, while Eddie Miller chipped in with 11 points.

"We didn't offer much resistance in the first half. They did anything they wanted to do," said head coach Gary Stewart. "They were assertive and aggressive at the start. They were well rested with the days off and very well prepared. They were very good, particularly in the first half. They scored in transition, they scored from the perimeter and they scored on the interior. You have to give them credit."

Long Beach State started the game by opening up an 11-3 lead with 16:01 on the clock. The 49ers continued to roll in the first half, increasing their lead to 18 with a 32-14 advantage at the 7:44 mark.

UC Davis had five unanswered points after a Mike Kurtz three, making the score 43-26 with Long Beach State holding the edge. The Aggies couldn't slow down the 49ers however, as Long Beach State ended the half on a 12-2 run, making the score 55-28 at the break.

UC Davis was out-rebounded 17-6 in the first 20 minutes, with the 49ers shooting 68 percent in that time. Long Beach State had four players in double figures by halftime, with Ware posting 14 points on 4 of 4 shooting in the first period.

The 49ers stayed hot to start the second half, leading by as many as 31 in the second half with a 71-40 lead at the 12:54 mark. The Aggies rattled off a 12-0 run from there, making the score 71-52 with 10:14 on the clock. The run was too little too late however, as UC Davis would get no closer and Long Beach State cruised to the 93-69 win.

"They had an aggressive mindset from the start and it put us back on our heels," said Stewart. "We've got to play more consistently and more determined for 40 minutes."

UC Davis will be back in action this weekend, traveling to play Pacific on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.