Long Beach State downs Oregon State

[December 17, 2016]  Junior guard Evan Payne scored 19 points and junior point guard Justin Bibbins added 16 points and six assists as Long Beach State registered a 71-67 victory over Oregon State on Friday night in the Dam City Classic at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.

Junior forward Gabe Levin had 13 points for the 49ers (3-10), who won away from home for the first time in 11 attempts this season. Junior forward Roschon Prince contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds for Long Beach State, which connected on 20 of 21 free-throw attempts.

Sophomore forward Drew Eubanks and sophomore guard Stephen Thompson Jr. scored 17 points apiece for the Beavers (3-8). Freshman guard JaQuori McLaughlin added 16 points for Oregon State, which has dropped four straight games and eight of its last nine.

The Beavers trailed 69-67 after Thompson split two free throws with seven seconds left. Prince then put the game away for the 49ers by sinking two free throws with four seconds.

Oregon State led 48-41 after a basket by Eubanks with 9:58 to play. But Bibbins, Payne and freshman guard Jordan Griffin all hit 3-pointers over the next five-plus minutes to help the 49ers tie the score at 52 with 4:45 left.

Bibbins made two free throws 39 seconds left to give Long Beach State its first lead of the second half and the 49ers never trailed again. Levin's three-point play made it 65-61 with 1:31 remaining and the Beavers twice pulled within one point but were unable to catch Long Beach State, which made all 17 of its second-half free throws.

McLaughlin made three first-half 3-pointers and had 11 points as Oregon State led 29-25 at the break.

Both teams committed 11 turnovers in the first half and the Beavers had just four points midway through the half before beginning to find the range.

Long Beach State led 10-4 after a basket by freshman guard Loren Jackson with 9:30 left before the Beavers answered with a 10-2 burst to take a two-point lead.

McLaughlin's 3-pointer made it 22-16 with 3:51 left and the 49ers pulled within two in the final minutes before Eubanks drained a jumper with four seconds left.

Payne connected on a 3-pointer to tie the score at 33-33 with 17:19 remaining before Oregon State built a seven-point lead over the next seven-plus minutes.

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