PCAA Roundup : Cal State Long Beach Upsets Utah State, 98-92

Morlon Wiley scored 37 points for Cal State Long Beach, and that surprised even him.

Never had he amassed such a total.

“Not even in recreation league,� Wiley said after he led the 49ers to their 98-92 overtime victory over Utah State at the 49er gym.

Wiley, a sophomore guard, had been averaging 10.3 points a game.

“That was the best performance I’ve had from a player since I’ve been coaching,� said Long Beach Coach Ron Palmer.

Only Ed Ratleff, now a 49er assistant, has scored more points in a game for Long Beach. Ratleff had games of 39 and 45 in the 1971-72 season.

Wiley also had 7 rebounds and 5 steals as the 49ers won for only the 7th time in 28 games. Long Beach is 3-14 and in last place in the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn.

Utah State (7-10, 11-15) had an 84-80 lead late in regulation but Wiley made a layup after stealing the ball, then hit a short jumper in the lane to send the game into overtime.

Wiley made 6 of 6 free throws in overtime and freshman John Hatten, who had his season-high with 16 points, scored the first 5 points of the extra period to give the 49ers an 89-86 lead, which they didn’t give up.

Greg Grant scored 20 points for Utah State and became the PCAA’s all-time leading scorer. His first point broke the record of 2,065 that had been held by Ron Cornelius, who played for the University of the Pacific from 1977-81.