LONG BEACH, Calif. (Interstat) — Rob Diaz, mired in a recent scoring slump, erupted for a season-high 20 points and orchestrated the offense with nine assists to lead Long Beach State to an 81-75 victory over Cal State Bakersfield in a Big West Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at Walter Pyramid.

The 49ers, who improved to 6-11 overall, never trailed after the opening minute but were forced to withstand a relentless second-half charge from the Roadrunners, who fell to 8-10. The win snapped a two-game conference skid for Long Beach State, while Cal State Bakersfield saw its two-game winning streak end.

Diaz, a junior guard from Long Beach, had been held to single-digit scoring in his previous three outings, including a five-point effort in a loss at UC Irvine just two days prior. He shattered that trend against the Roadrunners, attacking the basket for driving layups, hitting a crucial second-half three-pointer, and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, including four clutch makes in the final minute to seal the game. His nine assists matched a season-high and were pivotal in feeding teammates Petar Majstorovic and Gavin Sykes for big nights.

The most critical phase of the game came late in the second half after Cal State Bakersfield had whittled a 12-point deficit down to just two possessions. With Long Beach State leading 72-70 and under two minutes to play, the 49ers executed a decisive sequence. After a missed Roadrunner three-pointer, Leopold Levillain secured an offensive rebound and was fouled, sinking one free throw. On the ensuing possession, Diaz drew a foul and sank both shots, pushing the lead to 75-70 with 1:21 remaining.

Cal State Bakersfield’s Jaden Alexander, who led all scorers with 29 points, answered with a tough layup to make it 75-72, but Diaz again drew contact on the next trip and made two more free throws. After a Roadrunner turnover, Diaz found Majstorovic for a hook shot in the lane that extended the lead to 79-72 with just 59 seconds left, effectively putting the game out of reach. Diaz’s poise and playmaking in the final two minutes were the definitive answer to every Roadrunner push.

Alexander was spectacular in defeat for Cal State Bakersfield, scoring his 29 points on an efficient 11-of-19 shooting from the floor and adding seven rebounds. Ronald Jessamy contributed 15 points and seven rebounds, while point guard Kadar Waller facilitated the offense with eight assists. The Roadrunners stayed close by converting 17 of their 20 free-throw attempts and winning the rebounding battle, but were ultimately undone by 14 turnovers and a less efficient offensive night.

Long Beach State’s offense was fueled by its trio of guards and its versatile big man. Alongside Diaz’s double-double threat, Sykes, a sophomore from Sacramento, scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds. Majstorovic, a junior from Serbia, dominated inside with 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including two three-pointers, and pulled down seven rebounds. Levillain, the French forward, provided a key interior presence with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end.

The 49ers built their winning margin at the foul line, making 22 of 29 attempts compared to the Roadrunners’ 17-of-20 performance. Long Beach State also shot a higher percentage from the field, finishing at 49.1% to Cal State Bakersfield’s 43.3%. Both teams struggled from three-point range, with Long Beach State hitting 7 of 17 and the Roadrunners making just 6 of 18.

The first half set the tone, as Long Beach State used an early 10-2 run to establish control and took a 42-36 lead into halftime. The 49ers maintained a lead between six and twelve points for much of the second half until Alexander and Jessamy led the final Roadrunner rally that Diaz ultimately quelled.

A crowd of 1,188 at the Walter Pyramid saw Long Beach State even its home conference record. The 49ers will look to build on the momentum when they host UC Riverside on Thursday. Cal State Bakersfield returns home to face UC Santa Barbara, also on Thursday, seeking to rebound in the conference standings.