Three career-high efforts were not enough for the Long Beach State men’s basketball team to erase a 14-point halftime deficit Saturday night in Chapel Hill, N.C.
T.J. Robinson scored a career-high 31 points as the 49ers battled in a 96-91 loss to North Carolina at the Dean E. Smith Center.
LBSU (5-6) closed to within 71-69 on Tristan Wilson’s basket with 8:40 to play, and would come within the same margin twice more, but the Tar Heels had a quick answer each time.
Leading 75-73 with 7:04 to play, UNC (7-3) went on a 13-3 run capped by a jump shot from Larry Drew II with 3:34 remaining to pull away.
“Offensively we really played well together,” LBSU coach Dan Monson said in a statement. “Probably as good as we have all year. You really need to credit North Carolina because we could never solve them offensively.”
Robinson, who shot an impressive 13-of-19 from the field, became the 17th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points. Many of his baskets were created by the penetration of point guard Casper Ware, who finished with a personal-best 22 points and 10 assists.
Ware’s ability to knife into the lane created problems for the Tar Heels defense and gave the ‘Niners a chance in the second half.
“I thought (Casper) was a key for a lot of those guys getting shots they could make,” Monson said. “Tristan has really been a warrior here lately. He has stepped in and it has been really nice to see with Larry (Anderson) out. His play has really helped us.”
Wilson added a career-high 16 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench for the 49ers.
Freshman and preseason All-American Harrison Barnes finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead UNC, which had five players score in double figures. Reserve Leslie McDonald scored 15 of his career-high 17 points in the first half on five 3-pointers to give the Tar Heels a 48-34 lead at halftime.
LBSU shot 50.7 percent (37-of-73) in the contest but just 10-of-31 from long range. UNC countered with 56.3 percent (36-of-64) shooting and 11-of-23 from beyond the arc.
The Beach will return to California to face Saint Mary’s in the Wooden Classic next Saturday. Tipoff from the Honda Center in Anaheim is scheduled for 11:45 a.m.
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