PCAA Roundup : Long Beach Gets Close, Then Fades in 69-56 Loss to Pacific

Cal State Long Beach, trailing throughout, used fastbreaks to pull within five points of the University of Pacific late in the game but could get no closer and lost to the Tigers, 69-56, Thursday night at Stockton.

The 49ers are 12-13 overall and 7-6 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. Pacific is 10-12 and 6-7.

Center Brent Counts led Pacific by scoring a game-high 20 points. Guard John Hoffman had 18 for Long Beach and center DeAnthony Langston added 15.

Pacific took the lead early, with Counts, the son of former Laker Mel Counts, scoring 10 of the first 18 points for the Tigers.

Long Beach closed the gap, pulling to within 29-26 before Pacific edged away for a 34-28 lead at the half. Pacific then built the lead to as many as 15 points in the second half before Long Beach rallied.

New Mexico St. 59, Fresno St. 58--Kenny Travis hit a 12-foot jump shot with nine seconds remaining to give New Mexico State a PCAA victory at Fresno.

Travis missed a layup with 11 seconds left, but got the rebound and put up the winning shot.

Fresno State (7-16, 2-10) had a shot to regain the lead, but forward Derrick Barden missed the 18-foot jumper just before the buzzer.