Alex Acker played a marvelous full 40 minutes of basketball Tuesday night, registering 25 points and nine rebounds, including the game-clinching free throws with 14 seconds to play.
In the first half, Jesse Pinegar scored ten of his 13 points, draining three three-pointers en route to a perfect 4-4 shooting night. Pinegar and Acker put on a two-man show for which the 49ers had no answers.
The Waves took an eight-point halftime lead and extended it to 15 in the opening moments of the second. But as has happened in each of their first four games this season, they allowed their lead to evaporate. A 52-37 edge with 18:36 to play yielded to a 24-9 Long Beach State run, and the teams found themselves tied at 61.
Interestingly, Pinegar played very sparingly in the second half. He had a hard time containing 49ers center Anthony Coleman, and Coach Paul Westphal went with a stronger defensive lineup in the second half.
While Coleman's offensive game did slow down, the Waves' did too. They tried to establish an inside game with Glen McGowan, and while McGowan finished with a strong 15 point, five rebound performance, the strategy combined with the absence of Pinegar seemed to stagnate the free-flowing offense.
The opening night disaster against East Carolina may have paid dividends, as the Waves never allowed the 49ers to take the lead. That mental edge proved the difference in the final analysis.
Russell Hicks made a significant impact on the game. The freshman center contributed a nasty blocked shot, a vital offensive rebound and putback off a missed free throw, and two important defensive boards.
Acker looked every bit the superstar he is turning into. His game was absolutely brilliant.
The Waves' point guard play continues to be uneven. Marvin Lea is the defensive stalwart. He plays with tremendous energy, although that contributes to his high turnover rate (he committed seven in this one) and gets him in a bit of foul trouble. Under Lea, the offense is a little chaotic -- great things happen, but so do bad ones.
Kingsley Costain is a more controlling influence and runs the offense better. But his 5'7 stature and inexperience don't help the team on the defensive end.
All in all, the team has to be happy ending the road trip with a 3-1 record. With a four-game homestand coming up, the Waves have a chance to run up a very nice record to start the season. But it won't be easy, with nationally ranked Wisconsin coming in this Saturday.