Casper Ware scored 19 points and T.J. Robinson added 14 points and 13 rebounds to lead Long Beach State to a 74-60 victory against UC Irvine on Monday night.
Larry Anderson had 13 points and Mike Caffey 10 for the 49ers (8-6, 1-0 Big West).
Derick Flowers scored 16 points, Daman Starring 13 and Chris McNealy 12 for the Anteaters (4-10, 1-1).
Long Beach State shot 56.3 percent (18 for 32) from the floor in the second half to pull away in a game that UC Irvine led 32-31 at halftime.
A 22-8 stretch over an eight-minute stretch of the second half gave the 49ers control. Ware scored nine points during the surge, which culminated with a Robinson jumper that gave Long Beach State a 68-50 lead with 5:30 remaining.
The 49ers, the defending Big West regular-season champion, are battle tested for league play following a non-conference slate that included No. 3 North Carolina, No. 11 Louisville, No. 14 Kansas, No. 23 Kansas State, Pittsburgh, Xavier and Auburn.
