New Mexico State KOs Long Beach : Big West: Aggies use a 17-0 first-half run to reach title game, 80-72.

In early January, after New Mexico State had a relatively easy time defeating Cal State Long Beach in Las Cruces, Aggie Coach Neil McCarthy said what it meant to play the 49ers.

“You know, ever since they knocked us out of the Big West tournament two years ago, they’ve become somewhat of a rivalry for us.”

Only two current Aggies were around for that 90-85 loss in 1990, but no doubt McCarthy reminded his team about it before the rematch Saturday night in the semifinals of the conference tournament at the Long Beach Arena.

Shaking off the scare of Friday’s overtime victory over Fresno State, New Mexico State rode a 17-0 first-half run to an 80-72 victory over CS Long Beach before a crowd of 3,373.

The Aggies (22-7) play upstart University of the Pacific (14-15) at 12:30 p.m. today in the tournament championship game. The winner gets the Big West’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

Long Beach got its offense on track early, but after the first four minutes the game belonged to the Aggies. The 49ers, who shot 39.3% from the field in the first half, could not crack the Aggie match-up zone, much as in the January game in Las Cruces when Long Beach lost, 67-51. Long Beach made only 19 of 60 shots in that game and Saturday night it wasn’t much better.

The 49ers, despite 28 points from center Bryon Russell, made only 24 of 62 shots. New Mexico, led by Cliff Reed with 23 points and Sam Crawford with 21, made 25 of 41.

Long Beach, which is considered on the bubble for a National Invitation Tournament berth, defeated the Aggies, 92-76, in their second meeting this year, but that was in their University Gymnasium, where they have won 14 consecutive games.

But Long Beach (18-11), which held off Cal State Fullerton, 77-71, in the quarterfinals Friday, does not play well in its city arena, where it has lost six of its last eight games.

Trailing, 39-32, at the half, Long Beach mounted a late rally after New Mexico built a 64-48 lead with less than nine minutes to play. The 49ers got within five points in the final minute, but the Aggies made seven of 10 free throw attempts to seal the victory.

Long Beach made its first five shots and led, 14-9, after a three-point basket by Bobby Sears with only four minutes gone.

But then the 49ers went cold and missed their next seven shots.

Meanwhile, New Mexico State controlled the lane. A basket by Eric Traylor with 14:48 left ignited a 17-0 run that turned a five-point deficit into a 25-14 advantage.