By snoadmin
It has been an impressive season so far for the Long Beach State men’s basketball team.
The 49ers are currently on an eight-game conference winning-streak, they have won a total of 22 games and are the Big West regular season champions.
Those accomplishments look great on paper, but if LBSU can’t win its next two games, in some ways, the season will be a disappointment for the preseason conference favorites.
“We won conference and everything but we want to get to the NCAA’s,” said LBSU forward Sterling Byrd. “That is the ultimate goal.”
The 49ers will have a chance to accomplish that goal this weekend in the Big West Tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center. LBSU (22-7, 12-2) is the No.1 seed and has a bye into the semifinals, which will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
If LBSU wins Friday and in the conference final on Saturday, the 49ers will win the Big West Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995.
The 49ers NCAA Tournament drought almost came to an end last season.
LBSU led Pacific 55-53 with 13 minutes left in the Big West final, but the Tigers went on a 16-5 run, and ended up beating LBSU 78-70.
That was nearly a year ago, but LBSU head coach Larry Reynolds is hoping the experience of losing will help the 49ers become champions this weekend.
“If we can get to that championship game, already knowing what the atmosphere is like before and during the game, it is going to be a tremendous help,” Reynolds said.
One of the big advantages the 49ers have this season over last, is that as the No. 1 seed the 49ers will have to only win two consecutive games to win the tournament. Last year, the 49ers were the No. 3 seed, and had to play three games in consecutive nights.
“With our style of play it is a huge advantage [to play only two games],” Reynolds said. “We want the game to be up and down, and to do that three nights in a row can kind of tax you. We are only going to go seven, eight or nine deep, but in two nights we can play an up-tempo game that we are accustomed to.”
The strength of the 49ers this season has been offense. LBSU leads the conference in points per game (86.3), field goal percentage (.486) and 3-point percentage (.411).
Defense and rebounding have been the 49ers’ greatest weakness. LBSU is sixth in field goal percentage defense (.454), sixth in 3-points percentage defense (.376) and sixth in rebounding margin (-0.1).
“When this team is serious about rebounding and defense, and we get like that sometimes, we are very hard to beat,” said LBSU associate head coach John Masi.
It is safe to say LBSU will need a strong performance from its Big West Player of the Year if the 49ers want to be hoisting a trophy on Saturday.
Aaron Nixon, who has continued his habit of hitting game-winning shots this season, is leading the team in scoring with 18.4 points per game. He is also third on the team in rebounds averaging 4.8, and is third in the conference in steals, averaging 1.45 per game.
“[Nixon] is a great player, and when he gets hot, he is pretty much unstoppable,” said LBSU point guard Kevin Houston.
Guard Kejuan Johnson (15.4 ppg), was named to the Big West first team selection, and point guard Kevin Houston (11.6 ppg, 4.3 apg) was named to the second team.
Maybe the teams biggest surprise this year, has been Sterling Byrd (14.1 ppg). Last year the 6-foot-6 forward averaged just 3.2 points per game.
“I had a great learning experience last season, but I think all I needed was some time,” Byrd said.
In the frontcourt, LBSU will rely on Dominque Ricks (7.2 ppg, 6 rpg) and Mark Dawson (5.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg).
All of the afore mentioned players are seniors and Reynolds believes they will rise to the occasion.
“I am confident that in a game situation with a championship on the line, our guys can perform,” Reynolds said.
