Big West Men’s Final Live Blog!

Hello everyone, and welcome to Anaheim. We’ll keep you updated in today’s men’s finals as the action goes.

Check in every couple of minutes for instant analysis on all the action, starting right before tipoff.

Men’s Final: #1 UCSB  vs #3 Long Beach State

7:20: Final Stats: UCSB 69, LBSU 64. Rebound battle was even 32-32. Turnovers were won by LBSU 19-15. Orlando Johnson  was the Tournament MVP, led all scorers with 20 points. James Nunnally was also named to the All-Tournament team. That’s all for this blog, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

7:18: IT’S OVER!!!! UCSB WINS 69-64 AFTER NUNALLY MAKES BOTH! UCSB IS GOING DANCING!!!!!

7:17: Nunnally is fouled off the inbound, and he goes to the line with .7 left in regulation. One make will do it.

7:15. LBSU converts a quick two, leaving 2.9 on the clock with the Gauchos still leading 67-64. Timeout Long Beach at the tail end of one hell of a game!

7:13: CHARGE ON WARE. UCSB gets the ball back, Lazdauskas commits his final foul sending James Powell to the line. with 8.6 left. Powell’s money on both!

7:12: The Phantom, who’s been here for a while, pumps up the crowd.

7:09: Robinson makes his second, making it 63-62 UCSB. Full court press, the inbound goes to Powell and he’s fouled. Shooting two, Big Game James drains both. 65-62 UCSB with 27.1 to go, timeout UCSB.

7:08: Robinson is fouled under the basket, misses the first. Timeout LBSU, 63-61 UCSB with 28.8 left and one free-throw still coming for Robinson.

7:06: OJ turns it over at the Gauchos run a sloppy play. 42.3 seconds left, 63-61 UCSB.

7:02: Robinson’s putback makes it 60-59, but Nunnally drills a three at the other end. Brew puts Ware to the line with a silly foul, and Ware makes both. 63-61 UCSB with 1:38 to go.

7:01: Ware answers with a floater, but then fouls OJ at the other end, putting UCSB in the double bonus for the rest of the game. He sinks both again. 60-57 UCSB with 2:35 left.

7:00: Johnson is fouled off an offensive rebound, sending him to the line. The sophomore makes both, 58-55 UCSB with 3:17 to go.

6:58: Plater makes both, cutting the SB lead to 1. 56-55 UCSB.

6:54: In transition, Johnson with the money layup, but UCSB commits a foul at the other end, giving LBSU two shots after the under-4 timeout. 56-53 UCSB with 3:45 to go an a berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line.

6:52: Flemming fouls O.J near the cup, putting Johnson at the line. Orlando makes both, 54-53 UCSB with 4:48 to go. Both teams are in the bonus.

6:51: Nunnally responds with a deuce, but LBSU answers right back with a three. 53-52 LBSU with 5:09 left, timeout Long Beach.

6:51: Big three from LBSU ties it at 50-50.

6:50: Larry Anderson picks up his fourth personal on a contested rebound with Serna, sending Jamie to the line for 1 and 1. Serna makes the front end, missed the second. 50-47 UCSB 6:47 remaining.

6:43: Jump ball will go Santa Barbara’s way, Media Timeout with 7:57 to go, still 49-47 UCSB.

6:42: Foul by Lazkauskas (4th personal) sends Nunnally to the line for 2. The sophomore makes both, 49-47 UCSB with 8:08 to go.

6:39: Another steal by Ware, another lay-up to tie the game at 47-47 with 9:27 remaining.

6:37. 7-0 run by Long Beach State, could make it 8-0 if Ware makes his free-throws, and he does 47-45 UCSB 9:47 to go.

6:34: Anderson completes the 3-point play. 47-40 UCSB with 10:55 left, timeout UCSB.

6:30: Somogyi fouls Anderson under the rim to give LBSU an And-1 opportunity after the Media Timeout. 47-39 UCSB with 11:48 remaining in the second half.

6:29: James Powell hits a big 17 footer. 47-37 UCSB with 11:58 to go.

6:25: Johnson and Anderson draw double techs  at mid-court after falling over each other for a loose ball, then exchanging some words. Nunnally fouls Robinson at the other end, but Robinson missed both. 44-35 UCSB after a Serna layup with 13:28 to go.

6:22: Play paused to reset the shot clock after a scuffle for possession at mid-court. It stays UCSB ball, but with only 16 seconds on the clock. 42-35 UCSB.

6:21: Johnson makes both, 42-34 UCSB with 15:07 remaining.

6:18: Media timeout after O.J is fouled going to the hole on a fast break. UCSB has been getting all the calls, but still only leads by 41-34.

6:16: SERNA WITH THE BLOCK….nope, called a foul. LBSU makes both, 41-34 UCSB with 15:40 remaining.

6:11: SERNA WITH THE JAM. UCSB 41-32 UCSB at 16:34. Timeout LBSU.

6:09: Fastbreak chance for UCSB ending with foul, sending O.J to the line. He makes both, 37-30 UCSB with 18:00 to go.

6:07: Second half underway. Neither team in an offensive rhythm with missed shots and off-ball fouls. 35-30 UCSB still at the 18:40 mark.

5:49: Missed shots and turnovers end the half at 35-30 UCSB. Nunnally leads all scorers with a 10-point first half with both teams shooting around 45% from the floor. Can the Gauchos avoid letting this lead diminish in the second frame? Only consistent executing will tell.

5:46: Robinson lay-up in transition cuts it to 35-30 UCSB. Powell and Somogyi return to the game for UCSB. 42 seconds left in the first.

5:45: Nice dish by Weiner to Serna for a bucket, then a steal with a Romer basket in transition. LBSU canned two threes 35-28 UCSB.

5:42: Last Media timeout before the half. UCSB seemingly beating LBSU at their own fast-paced game, getting a lot of easy transition buckets. UCSB will have the ball out of the timeout, 29-22 Gauchos with 3:57 remaining.

5:38: Ware picks up his second on another charge call going the Gaucho’s way, he’ll take a seat for the remaining 4:20 in the first half. LBSU head coach Munson not arguing. Johnson has just gone down hard on the floor, gets up after a brief stay. 29-22 UCSB.

5:37: Gauchos starting to take charge after a Johnson layup, but Ware not having any of it after a made floater. 27-20 UCSB.

5:34: Brew makes 1-2 free-throws despite LBSU students holding up Chewbacca, Napleon Dyanmite and Carrot Top cutouts behind the basket. 25-16 UCSB.

5:30: Another turnover by Nunnally (6th of the game). The sophomore needs to slow down. 24-16 UCSB, Media Timeout, 7:45 reaming in the first half.

5:29: Questionable charge called on LBSU, but UCSB will take it. they’ll also take any offense from J.J, he sinks a three himself. 24-16 UCSB.

5:27: Trey by Ware on the third LBSU try, but Somogyi answers with a jam immediately. 21-14 UCSB.

5:24: Mad props to the UCSB student who won the timeout shootout 20-15.

5:22: Orlando Johnson taking over, 5 consecutive points for UCSB (7 points thus far). 19-11 UCSB. Media timeout.

5:20: Powell gets in the passing lanes with the steal, then goes the court length for the easy layup. Nunnally with the NBA three on the next Gaucho possession. 14-9 UCSB on a 7-0 run. Timeout LBSU, Somogyi checks in for UCSB.

5:19: Another turnover by LBSU, a little pressure getting to them?

5:18: 15:02 remaining in the first. Nice bank by Nunnally, 9-9 tie. Turnover by LBSU, Gauchos get it back with James Powell and Justin Joyner checking in.

5:13: First timeout on the floor, still 7-5 LBSU. After the break Johnson will shoot two for UCSB as he was hacked during a put-back. That’s Lazdauskas’s first.

5:11: Brew’s first foul on a block at mid-court. Under five minutes gone and we still haven’t seen the Gaucho bench.

5:10: Nunnally answers with a huge three! 7-5 LBSU.

5:09: 17:53 remaining in first half. Ware drains a trey for LBSU in transition, making it 7-2 LBSU. Home fans are really getting into quick offensive play by the 49ers. UCSB hasn’t had much offense to speak of thus far.

5:07: 1st personal on LBSU Anderson in a scuffle with Serna. Turnover UCSB on the next possession, 2-0 LBSU.

5:06: We’re underway! Tip off goes to UCSB, but they turn it over. Goaltending on SB, 2-0 LBSU.

4:58: 3 minutes to tip. Starters about to be introduced. Listen to the complete live broadcast at www.kcsb.org in concert with this live blog! John Greely and Marco Alfandary are on the call.

4:50: National Anthem at 12 minutes to tip (well sung). Beach supporters outnumber the Gaucho faithful 3:1, making it essentially a road game atmosphere for UCSB.

4:32: Starting lineups. First for UCSB: Serna, Weiner, Brew, Nunnally, Johnson

For LBSU: Lazdauskas, Robinson, Anderson, Ware, Gilling

Game On!

4:25: Hey everyone, Miles Yim here live courtside at the Anaheim Convention Center about 35 minutes from the opening tip. Should be a good one between the Gauchos and 49ers, with the winner getting their ticket to the Big Dance punched. Sit back, relax, and I’ll keep you updated throughout the bout. Starting lineups coming soon. Go Gauchos!