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So far in its crazy season-opening road trip, the UAA men's basketball team has seen just about everything but a real game.
Three days after a 25-point exhibition romp over a fledgling NAIA team, the Seawolves suffered a 21-point exhibition loss to a strong NCAA Division I team Saturday afternoon. Long Beach State, playing in front of more than 4,000 fans, rocked UAA 86-65 by hitting more than half of its shots and landing five players in double figures. The 49ers were tall, fast and relentless in their use of a full-court press. Although the Seawolves held a narrow rebounding average, they turned over the ball 24 times -- often against the press -- and managed only 12 assists, always a sign that a team's offense is being disrupted. Yet UAA coach Rusty Osborne didn't seem to mind the beating too much because he thinks the Seawolves will benefit from it as the season progresses. "One of the things you can't simulate (in a practice) is tall, athletic, quick people when you don't have those people," Osborne said in a postgame interview with KAFC radio. "We scheduled this game for that purpose, and that purpose alone." Among the 49ers players challenging UAA were 6-foot-8 forward T.J. Robinson (15 points, 11 rebounds) and 6-5 guard Larry Anderson (18 points, 7 assists, 5 steals). Both are preseason all-conference picks in the Big West -- the conference Long Beach State is favored to win this season. UAA was led by a trio of newcomers: • Drew Robinson, a 6-1 junior guard who came from Salt Lake City Community College, came off the bench to deliver 12 points, two assists and two steals; • Malcolm Campbell, a 6-9, 265-pound sophomore who spent a season at Division I Hartford, scored 11 points and had a team-high seven rebounds; • Nick Pacitti, a 6-6 junior who came from L.A. Trade Tech College, added 10 points and six rebounds. "Malcolm is going to be a load for people to guard," Osborne said. The coach said he was also impressed with returning starter Brandon Walker, one of just three players back from last season. Walker only scored five points, but he had six rebounds and just one turnover while going up against a bigger player. Despite Saturday's loss and Wednesday's 64-39 win over American Sports University of San Bernardino, the Seawolves are still 0-0. Their first "real" game is Tuesday night at Hawaii Pacific in Honolulu. The Seawolves leave California today for Hawaii, where they'll meet a Division II opponent for the first time this season. Hawaii Pacific doesn't play in the same conference as UAA, but both are West Region teams. "The important game for us will come Tuesday night. It's a region game," Osborne said.