ANAHEIM, Calif. --- UC Irvine led for most of the first half but a Long Beach State run midway through the second half carried the top-seeded 49ers past No. 7 UCI, 68-57, in a Big West Conference Tournament semifinal Friday night at Honda Center.
Michael Wilder and Daman Starring led UCI (12-20) with 15 points each and Chris McNealy added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Wilder was 5 of 10 from the field and had a team-high six rebounds.
Adam Folker hit 4 of 6 shots and added nine points and four boards. Will Davis II scored five points while Derick Flowers recorded three assists for the 'Eaters in their season finale.
Two-time Big West Player of the Year Casper Ware led LBSU (24-8) with 22 points, James Ennis had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and T.J. Robinson registered 11 points and 10 boards.
The 'Eaters jumped out to a 9-0 lead 3:13 into the game and led 28-27 at halftime on the strength of 12 points from Wilder, but LBSU used a 14-0 run to turn a four-point deficit into a 10-point in the second half.
Folker's layup off a McNealy feed gave UCI a 43-39 lead with 13:54 remaining in the game, but the 49ers' press capitalized on four Anteater turnovers in the next four minutes to score 14 consecutive points, taking a 53-43 lead on a three-pointer by Mike Caffey with 9:41 left.
LBSU then maintained at least a seven-point lead the remainder of the way, hitting 7 of 9 free throws in the final minute of the game.
The 49ers outrebounded UCI, 39-22. UCI shot 44.7 percent from the field, hitting 10 of 24 threes, while LBSU hit 40.7 percent of its field goals, including 8 of 21 treys.
LBSU shot 59.1 percent from the floor in the second half when the 49ers outscored the 'Eaters, 41-29. LBSU was 16 of 19 from the foul line and UCI hit 5 of 8 free throws.
UCI, which had one of the youngest teams in the nation, had no seniors on its squad this season. Folker, Wilder, Flowers and Starring will be seniors on next year's team.
"I thought we put some pressure on Long Beach and they responded to that pressure," UCI head coach Russell Turner said. "In the second half, they did the things they had to do to come out with a win. I'm impressed with them for that. They're an experienced and well-coached team.
"I was also really proud of my team tonight. That's the main thing," Turner added.
"After such a good win last night for us (over Fullerton), we had all the confidence in the world coming into this game," Michael Wilder said. "We really didn't think we were going to lose. I think it showed in our start and I think it showed in our competitiveness throughout the game."
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