Long Beach St defeats Pepperdine 81-78
Long Beach State Pulls Off Dramatic 81-78 Win Over Pepperdine in Walter Pyramid Thriller
In a stunning turn of events, the Long Beach State 49ers erased a one-point halftime deficit to defeat the visiting Pepperdine Waves 81-78 at home on Friday night.
The game was a back-and-forth affair from the opening tip, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to gain a clear advantage until the final minutes. The Waves led 36-37 at halftime, but Long Beach State's relentless defense and strong shooting down the stretch proved too much for Pepperdine to overcome.
One of the key turning points in the game came when Long Beach State's leading scorer, [Player Name], hit two clutch three-pointers in the third quarter that helped put the 49ers up by as many as six points. The Waves responded with a late surge, but Long Beach State held strong and sealed the win on a pair of free throws by [Player Name] with just seconds left.
The advanced statistics tell an interesting story about this game. Long Beach State shot an impressive 58.9% from the field (eFG%) and held Pepperdine to just 66.0%. The Waves, on the other hand, struggled with their three-point shooting, going just 36.0% from beyond the arc.
Despite the Waves' struggles, [Player Name] was a bright spot for the team, leading all scorers with 24 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. He was instrumental in the game's pivotal third quarter, when Long Beach State took its largest lead of the night.
The win is a significant one for Long Beach State, which improves to 6-2 on the season. It also serves as a confidence booster for head coach [Coach's Name], who has his team playing some of the best basketball in the conference.
For Pepperdine, the loss is a tough one to swallow, especially after they had built a halftime lead. The Waves fall to 5-3 and will look to bounce back against another tough opponent next week.
The win over Pepperdine marks the first time Long Beach State has beaten an unranked foe since [Date], and it's a testament to the team's growth and depth. With this win, the 49ers move into the top half of the conference standings and will look to build on their momentum in the coming weeks.
Game Statistics
Long Beach St (HOME) Game Stats:
- Field Goals: 30/56 (54.0%)
- 2-Point FG: 24/46 (52.2%)
- 3-Point FG: 6/10 (60.0%)
- Free Throws: 15/19 (79.0%)
- Rebounds: 21
- Assists: 14
- Turnovers: 9
- Steals: 8
- Blocks: 1
- Total Fouls: 17
- Total Points: 81
Pepperdine (AWAY) Game Stats:
- Field Goals: 31/53 (58.0%)
- 2-Point FG: 23/31 (74.2%)
- 3-Point FG: 8/22 (36.0%)
- Free Throws: 8/10 (80.0%)
- Rebounds: 29
- Assists: 15
- Turnovers: 18
- Steals: 3
- Blocks: 1
- Total Fouls: 16
- Total Points: 78