A last-second layup from junior transfer Ron Freeman gave Long Beach State men’s basketball an 86-85 win over Iona on Monday afternoon as part of the MGM Resorts Main Event at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.
The562.org on Twitter
What a win for @LBSUhoops! https://t.co/lJgtmtDtCL
Freeman, senior KJ Byers and senior Deishuan Booker each scored 14 points, but senior Temidayo Yussuf led all scorers with 18 points. Byers also had a team-high 10 rebounds.
LBSU (2-3) got 36 bench points and outrebounded Iona 36-27. The Beach also had its best shooting nights of the season going 55.6 percent from the floor, 59 percent from three-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line.
The 49ers held the lead for most of the game, and were up 10 points with 11 minutes left in regulation. Iona came back to take a lead with about five seconds to play, but Freeman went coast-to-coast and finished through contact as time expired.
LBSU will play Utah Valley on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Cox Pavilion in the Championship Game of the MGM Resorts Main Event Middleweight Bracket.
