No extra period was necessary this time around.
After defeating UC Riverside by nine in overtime on the road last month, the Long Beach State men’s basketball team (16-9, 12-2 Big West Conference) completed the season sweep of the Highlanders (5-20, 2-11) with a 40-point shellacking at the Walter Pyramid on Saturday evening.
The 75-35 victory is LBSU’s third straight overall and 25th in a row at home over Big West opponents.
Junior forward Tony Freeland led the Beach in scoring and rebounding, tallying a game-high 14 points and five caroms.
James Ennis was a key cog in the 49er attack once again, extending his double-digit scoring streak to 30 games.
The senior guard put up 10 in the first half alone and finished the night with 12 points, four assists, three rebounds, three steals and a block.
The Beach led by 12 the half before outscoring Riverside 44-16 in the second frame. They ended the contest on a 22-2 run and outshot the Highlanders 52.9 percent to 23.9 percent on the evening.
LBSU showed off its athleticism during the run with an array of high-flying finishes at the rim, including a sixty-foot inbound pass caught by Ennis in the midst of his best wide receiver impression, which he quickly turned into a lob pass that junior forward Dan Jennings threw down with authority.
Ennis also got into the open court, as he often does, and brought the crowd to its feet with a semi-windmill, two-handed jam.
Sophomore guard Mike Caffey, who contributed six points, three rebounds and an assist, said it was important for the team to keep extending its lead and playing tough defense after a bit of a slow start.
“We started off a little flat,” Caffey said, “Then we got steals and started getting up court. After that we just took off.”
Caffey also said that the team’s improved cohesion has led to better defense.
“We’re getting more chemistry,” he said. “I think we’re getting better on defense. We struggled at the beginning of the season now we’re getting our defensive principles right, getting stops and holding teams under 60. I feel like that’s leading our offense, we’re all feeling good right now.”
LBSU head coach Dan Monson said he is pleased with his teams’ steady improvement of late.
“The encouraging thing for me is I think we’re getting better,” he said. “You’re always pointing toward that tournament in March, and we’re playing our best basketball right now. I think we had our best game of the year [Wednesday in an 85-65 win over Cal State Fullerton], and I think we played better today. I’m pleased with the game but I’m even more pleased with where the team’s going right now.”
Junior forward Edgar Garibay returned to the lineup after missing the last month and a half due to injury and contributed his first points of the season on a pair of free throws.
The Highlanders were led by freshman forward Taylor Johns, who tallied 10 points and five boards.
LBSU returns to action Wednesday when it plays its third of four straight home games against UC Davis (10-13, 6-6) at 7:05p.m.