Casper Ware showed why he’s in the running for the Bob Cousy award Saturday night at the Walter Pyramid.
The junior point guard blew up for 19 second-half points in the Long Beach State men’s basketball team’s 75-60 dismantling over Cal State Fullerton in front of 5,040 fans.
Ware, nominated as one of the nation’s top 20 point guards, finished the game hitting 50 percent (6 of 12) of his shots for a game-high 21 points. He added five assists, three steals and a block.
“[Casper Ware] is one of the top 20 point guards in America, and great point guards take over the game,” LBSU head coach Dan Monson said.
The 49ers (13-10, 8-2 Big West Conference) took the lead, 17-16, off a Ware jumper with 10:45 left in the first half and never looked back despite a slow start.
CSUF (8-14, 4-5 Big West) took a 10-0 lead to start the game while the Niners’ were still jumpy.
“Obviously we started shaky, it was 10-0,” Monson said. “I thought most of it was we were a little hyper. Mostly, it was an offensive issue.
Ware added: “[Fullerton] was really ready, we were like, ‘We just have to calm down and we knew we would win the game.'”
The Beach never panicked as it went on a run of its own, scoring 11 unanswered points capped by two Ware-to-Larry Anderson alley-oops to take its first lead, 15-14.
“I like Casper,” Monson said. “He’s my guy, he sets such a great tone.”
Junior forward Eugene Phelps posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds for LBSU. Anderson was one rebound shy of also posting a double-double as he dropped in 20 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals despite tweaking his foot at practice during a shootaround.
Monson said Anderson was “50-50.”
“It got better within time, I figured it would,” Anderson added. “Once I started running in the layup lines it started feeling good.”
The crowd was the third-largest in the Pyramid’s history, and the players fed off the energy.
“I was excited to see everyone come out and support us,” Anderson said.
Behind the play of Ware, The Beach opened up the second half on a 20-5 run. The Titans fought back, though, and a jumper by center Jer’Vaughn Johnson brought its deficit to single digits, 55-46.
It was short-lived as the 49ers immediately went on a 15-3 run to shut down any hopes of a Fullerton comeback.
Johnson led the way for the Titans with a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds.
The ‘Niners out-rebounded Fullerton, grabbing 44 boards compared to the Titans’ 35.
“This is a team that dominated us on the boards 10 days ago,” Monson said. “I’m pleased we’re back on the right track.”
LBSU, normally a seven-man rotation at best, brought in all its bench players with 1:23 left to play. An unheard of 14 players received playing time in tonight’s game.
“It’s always good when your bench can come in and produce — or sustain a lead at least,” Anderson said.
Long Beach gets a break as it doesn’t return to action until Feb. 10 when it travels north to face UC Davis.
According to Anderson, “It’ll give us a day or two to relax and enjoy school.”
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