UCLA's last-second (literally) 69-67 loss to No. 10-ranked Butler late Friday night means the Bruins and the Long Beach State 49ers will hook up at 11:30 Sunday morning in the Anaheim Convention Center for in the 7th/8th-place game of the 76 Classic.
It will be the 12th game involving the programs' teams, with the Bruins winning the first 11 by an average margin of 16.8 points.
The most recent meeting came on Nov. 28, 2006, when Ben Howland's eventual Final Four team pounded a Larry Reynolds-coached club that won the Big West that season and played in the tournament, 88-58.
The final eight of those games were played in Pauley Pavilion while the first three of those -- coming when the Bruins were coached by John R. Wooden and the 49ers by Jerry Tarkanian -- were played during NCAA Regional action in Seattle, Salt Lake City and Provo, respectively.
Another Big West Conference member, Cal State Fullerton, collected the program's first-ever win over the Bruins (68-65/double OT) in Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 17.


Leave a comment