By snoadmin
Energized by a record-breaking home crowd of 2,656, The Beach sprinted out on to an early lead only to watch the Pacific Tigers claw back in the second half Thursday afternoon.
The Tigers, behind the strong performances of forward Janae Young (23 points) and guard Amy VanHollebeke (15 points and seven assists), overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Long Beach State, 76-62, at the Walter Pyramid.
Pacific (8-6, 2-0 Big West Conference) showcased strong shooting and ball control in the second half to pull out the victory.
The 49ers (3-11, 0-3 Big West) had four starters in double-digits scoring, but failed to rally from behind late in the game. Junior guard Courtney Jacob paced the ‘Niners with 14 points, forward Whitney Fields added a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, junior Lauren Sims scored 13 and freshman Adelle Walton chipped in 10.
LBSU was out-rebounded on the offensive glass, 22-18, and 50-40 for the game. Combined with a 21.2 field goal percentage in the second half, including 0-of-7 from behind the arc, The Beach would remain winless in Big West play this season.
The attendance was a response to the NCAA’s “Pack the House Challenge,” an initiative to help increase and attendance at women’s college basketball games throughout the country.
The 49ers will look to snap a four-game losing streak on Saturday against UC Davis at the Walter Pyramid. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.
Sports editor Tracy McDannald contributed to this report.
