The Long Beach State women’s basketball team will head into the Big West Conference tournament as the fifth seed after splitting the final two games of its regular season.
The 49ers (16-14, 9-9 Big West) fell 59-50 at UC Santa Barbara before ending the season on a high note with a 71-58 upset of Cal Poly, which will be the second seed in the upcoming tournament.
Sophomore Devin Hudson had a huge game at Cal Poly’s Mott Gym, as she scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. Hudson, who also had a double-double in Thursday’s loss to the Gauchos (15-15, 11-7 Big West), became the first 49er to have a 20-rebound game since 2005.
Pacific took home the regular-season conference title with a 59-54 win at UC Davis. Cal Poly (19-10, 13-5 Big West) would have had a share of the title if it had not been defeated by LBSU on Saturday.
In last year’s conference tournament, the 49ers took down the top two seeds in Cal Poly and Cal State Northridge before falling to the Gauchos in the tournament final. After Saturday’s win, it appears that the ‘Niners are ready to be a Cinderella team once again.
The fifth-seeded ‘Niners will open the Big West tournament against eighth-seeded Cal State Fullerton (9-21, 5-13 Big West) at 6 pm. on Thursday at UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center. LBSU swept the Titans in a pair of close games during the regular season, as The Beach won 45-39 at the Walter Pyramid and 58-56 at the Titan Gym.
Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and cost $10 for the first round and quarterfinals. Student tickets for the first two rounds are $5. General admission semifinals and finals tickets cost $22, and student tickets cost $10.