Long Beach State had dropped its last two games entering Thursday’s game with UC Riverside.
UCR sat at the bottom of the Big West, winless in their first three games within the conference. The Beach looked at this meeting as an opportunity to erase the memory of two poor shooting nights against Hawaii and Cal State Northridge.
Change for the better would not occur. Another sub-par shooting performance left the 49ers in desperation mode late, and they paid the price in the final seconds.
Tre’Shonti Nottingham sank the game-winning free-throw with two seconds left, and UCR defeated LBSU, 50-49, Thursday night in a Big West Conference women’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid.
Nottingham had a game-high 18 points as the Highlanders (8-7, 1-3) captured their first Big West win of the year.
Devin Hudson had a double-double, leading the 49ers (9-8, 2-3) with 10 points and 15 rebounds on the night.
“Devin Hudson balled tonight,” head coach Jody Wynn said. “She missed like everyone else missed, but she wasn’t going to die.”
Wynn added that Hudson has been a backbone “emotionally, verbally, and physically” for a young 49ers team that boasts just one senior.
LBSU battled back from a 48-43 deficit with 1:02 remaining. Alex Sanchez hit a pair of free-throws, and Nottingham missed the front end of a 1-and-1 on the other end.
After surveying the perimeter for a game-tying 3-pointer, the 49ers settled for a reverse layup from Chantel Dooley to cut the lead to one with 32 seconds to go.
Nottingham made 1-out-of-2 free-throws on her next trip to the line, giving LBSU a chance to tie it late. The 49ers looked inside to Hudson, whose bank attempt missed the mark. A battle for the rebound ensued, and the jump ball was awarded to the Highlanders on alternating possession.
LBSU got the ball right back though, as a full-court trap forced a UCR turnover.
Trailing 49-47, the 49ers decided that they were going to live or die with Hudson. She received the inbounds pass and went up for a game-tying layup. The shot didn’t fall, but Hudson made good on her follow-up attempt to bring The Beach even with 6 seconds remaining.
Cheers and a collective sigh of relief were immediately replaced by screams of disgust. UCR put the ball in the hands of Nottingham, and, on the dead run, the senior guard hurled her body into Hudson. Hudson was called for the blocking foul 15 feet away from the basket, and Nottingham toed the line one last time and put the Highlanders ahead for good.
The 49ers left the floor baffled and frustrated. Wynn had to be restrained as she let the officials know how she felt about their decision to decide the game.
LBSU led big early on, and it begged the question why the 49ers were forced to rally late to stay in the ball game. The ‘Niners led 24-11 with five minutes left in the first half, but the Highlanders closed the half on a 13-2 run.
“We lost focus,” Wynn said. “I think we got excited and thought we were going to be able to outscore them.”
The Beach knocked down three 3-pointers by the midway point of the first half, but connected on just one the rest of the way. The 49ers shot a dismal 1 of 16 from distance in the second half.
“This is the best shooting team we’ve ever coached here,” Wynn said. “I shake my head when I look at these (shooting) numbers.”
Despite shooting 24.6 percent from the field for the game, the 49ers led most of the way. UCR did not hold its first lead until Taylor Wallace put the Highlanders ahead, 31-29, at the 12:37 mark of the second half.
The 49ers will be back in action Saturday when they take on rival Cal State Fullerton. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.