Box Score Long Beach State, Ca.—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team was trying to break a 10-game losing streak to Long Beach State Thursday evening, including five straight at The Walter Pyramid. Although the Highlanders hung tough throughout the first half, the 49ers built a 16-point second-half cushion and held on for the 68-63 victory.

The score was tied at 10 with 6:02 gone off the clock when the 49ers scored 12 of the next 14 points to take a 10-point lead. UC Riverside regrouped, though, putting together a 13-2 run of its own, capped off by Robert Boezeman lay up. That gave the Highlanders their first lead of the game at 25-24.

A David Samuels dunk with 5:53 to go put Long Beach State back on top, and the 49ers took a three-point lead into the locker room, 32-29. In each of the past five games between these clubs at The Pyramid, the Highlanders trailed at the break by double digits.

Long Beach State scored the first seven points coming out of the locker room to tie their largest lead at 10, 39-29. Shortly thereafter, Jaylen Bland tied UC Riverside's Division I era record for made three pointers in a season. His shot with 17:45 remaining in the game tied current UCR Assistant Coach Justin Bell and former Highlander Javon Borum, each of whom connected on 70 three-pointers in a single campaign. Bland would break the mark with 17 seconds remaining in the contest.

Long Beach State continued to extend its lead, going up by 16, 55-39, with 9:05 to go. That was when the Highlanders started to make their final move, scoring 12 of the next 14 points to slice the lead to six with 3:10 on the clock. Another late burst cut the lead to five, but that was as close as they would get.

Bland and Taylor Johns paced the Highlanders with 18 points apiece, while Steven Thornton added 10. Mike Caffey led all scorers with 20 points for the 49ers while Samuels scored 17 and McKay LaSalle added 13

UC Riverside remains on the road this week traveling to Cal State Fullerton Saturday for a 6 pm PT tip against the Titans.