LONG BEACH (Interstat) — Jack Payne scored 18 points and Long Beach State held off Pacific 62-59 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Wednesday at Walter Pyramid. Payne, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound guard from Boise, Idaho, who previously played at Owyhee, added six rebounds, three assists and one block in 36 minutes for the 49ers. Payne had 17 points and five rebounds in a previous loss at Montana State and five rebounds and three assists at Utah. The game drew an announced attendance of 1,470. Long Beach State improved to 1-2, while Pacific fell to 2-1. The loss was Pacific’s first of the season, and Long Beach State earned its first win.

Pacific opened an early 16-7 lead, but Long Beach State rallied and the game stayed close into the final minutes. Pacific shot 24 of 61 from the floor, 3 of 21 from 3-point range and 8 of 11 from the free-throw line. Long Beach State shot 19 of 49 overall, 5 of 20 from beyond the arc and 19 of 29 from the foul line. Pacific finished with 12 offensive rebounds, nine assists, five blocks, 15 turnovers and 25 fouls. Long Beach State had six offensive rebounds, nine assists, two blocks, 11 turnovers and 16 fouls. Pacific scored 59 points on 69 possessions for an offensive rating of 85.2. Long Beach State scored 62 points on 68 possessions for an offensive rating of 91.5.

Pacific forward Jaion Pitt, a 6-7 product of Bella Vista College Preparatory School, had 20 points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 33 minutes. Tigers guard CJ Jones, a 6-5 East St. Louis product, added 17 points, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 33 minutes. Adriel Nyorha, a 6-5 guard from Winston Salem Christian, had nine points, seven rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. Gavin Ripp, a 6-7, 230-pound forward from Archbishop Mitty, grabbed 12 rebounds in 32 minutes.

Long Beach State guard Yohann Sissoko, a 6-5, 205-pound International School product, had 12 points, three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes. Noah Amenhauser, a 7-2 center from Estrella Foothills, had 10 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block in 26 minutes. McCaden Adams, a 6-4, 185-pound guard from Pleasant Grove, had 10 points, three rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes. Jaden Tengan, a 6-0, 180-pound guard from Santa Clarita Christian, had eight points, two rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes. Pacific guard Jaden Winston, a 6-0, 160-pound DeMatha Catholic product, had eight points, two rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes.

Nyorha opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, and Pitt followed with a layup as Pacific took a 5-0 lead. Payne made a 3-pointer for Long Beach State, but Jaylen Thompson converted a layup and a free throw, and Pitt hit a 3-pointer to push the Tigers ahead 11-5. After Payne’s alley-oop, CJ Jones made a 3-pointer and Pitt made two free throws for a 16-7 Pacific lead. Payne answered with another 3-pointer, Tengan made a turnaround jumper and Amenhauser made a free throw as the 49ers cut into the deficit. Pacific got a turnaround jumper from Dominick Harris, a pullup and a floating jumper from CJ Jones, and a layup from CJ Jones to build a 24-15 lead. Amenhauser made a dunk and a layup, and Pitt made two hook shots around an Adams pullup jumper as Pacific maintained its advantage. Adams made two 3-pointers, Nyorha made two layups, and CJ Jones made a floating jumper to help Pacific take a 34-29 lead. Payne made two free throws, J.J. Chaikovsky made two free throws, and Tengan made a jumper to pull Long Beach State within one.

Pitt opened the second half with a layup, Winston made a floater, Sissoko made a layup, Nyorha made a stepback jumper, CJ Jones made a jumper and Winston made a driving layup as Pacific moved ahead 44-35. Sissoko made a layup and a free throw, Winston made another floater, Tengan made a layup, CJ Jones made a floating jumper, Amenhauser made a layup, and Pitt made a hook shot as Pacific took a 50-42 lead.

The most important stretch came after Pacific took a 50-42 lead on Pitt’s hook shot with 8:26 remaining. Payne made a 3-pointer to begin the comeback, and Sissoko made two free throws before Payne made two more to cut the deficit to 50-49. Pitt answered with a layup and a free throw for a 53-49 Pacific lead, but Sissoko made a stepback jumper and a layup to put Long Beach State ahead 54-53. Pitt made two free throws to put Pacific back in front, and Adams made two free throws to give the 49ers a 56-55 lead. Amenhauser made one free throw, Max Vanlaningham made one free throw and Tengan made a layup for a 60-55 Long Beach State lead. Winston made two free throws for Pacific, Payne made one free throw for the 49ers and CJ Jones made a layup to make it 61-59. Brett Wright made the first of two free throws with 7.6 seconds remaining to close the scoring.

Long Beach State entered after losses at Montana State and at Utah. Pacific had beaten Bradley and Bethesda. Pacific next hosts Air Force, while Long Beach State visits UCLA.

Interstat’s game simulator projected Long Beach State 76, Pacific 72. Interstat’s ELO system gave Pacific a 69.9 percent probability to win, and Pacific was installed as a 5.5-point pregame favorite. The total score of 121 and the over/under line of 138 were part of the pregame numbers.