Was it unreasonable to expect the Long Beach State 49ers to win the Big West Conference title this season? No, it was not. Was it unreasonable to expect the Long Beach State 49ers to win every single game on the conference schedule? Yes, it most definitely was.

Of course, that jibber-jabber won’t do anything to ease the sting of Long Beach State’s 69-67 overtime loss at UC Riverside on Saturday night; a game that most expected the 49ers to win and was, in all fairness, well within Long Beach’s control until the final buzzer.

On the other hand, the fact that Long Beach returned home with an 0-1 conference record does not end their season or negate the fact that there are 15 more Big West games to play.

Because as bad as the 49ers’ loss to the Highlanders was – and yes, it was bad for a variety of reasons that we will soon examine – it was just one game, in fact it was the first game of a long conference season, in a conference that Long Beach could still very well win as they were predicted to do at the beginning of the season.

The loss is an ugly mark on the Long Beach State season. With those championship predictions and early season accolades comes the expectation that the 49ers will take care of business in the games that they should win. And based on their talent, experience and level of coaching, yes, Long Beach State should have beaten Riverside.

Why didn’t they? A variety of reasons. First, Riverside is a good team in their own right – I picked them to finished third in the Big West this season – and Conference MVP candidate Kyle Austin posted 20 points while teammate Larry Gurganious – a 9.5ppg scorer – put up 18, including the game-winning drive and bucket in the final seconds of overtime. Of course, it’s never good to allow a mediocre player to shred through your defense.

On the Long Beach side, the 49ers held Riverside to 24% shooting in the first half but boasted just a 28-21 lead at the break, then proceeded to commit one silly foul after another to give the Highlanders easy points, and squandered chances to win the game in both regulation and overtime with a horrific 17-35 free throw shooting display that proved the issue still has not been corrected since it became a problem last season.

Eugene Phelps was invisible offensively and allowed the momentum to change after being called for a technical foul in the second half. Stephan Gilling fell back into his dangerous habit of disappearing if his jumper isn’t falling, shooting 0-7 from the field (0-5 from three) and was exposed for his one-dimensionality. Larry Anderson, a popular preseason conference MVP pick, continues to battle with his potential to be great and his complacency for simply being good. The rest of the team failed to play inspired basketball as a group and no one stepped forward to shoulder the load. This is a major issue on a young squad that has the potential to do great things. When times are tough and the world is falling down around you, who will step up and be a leader? Despite an impressive non-conference schedule and all the talent in the world, the 49ers will have a tough time with any opponent until they can confidently answer that question.

The 49ers could have gotten off on the right foot after a tough road stretch that included losses at #3 Kentucky and #7 Duke.

Instead, they prepare for their game at Fullerton this Thursday boasting a four-game losing streak that includes disappointing losses at Loyola Marymount and Riverside. Both of those losses went to overtime, both could have been won with better free-throw shooting, and both dealt a strong blow to the idea of Long Beach State as champions of the Big West Conference.

But those games are now in the past. They were poor performances with disappointing results, but all that the 49ers can do now is learn from their mistakes and use them for improvement, because there are 15 more conference games to play (not including the Big West Tournament).

And since that is the case, isn’t it better that Long Beach State suffer their disappointing losses now? Isn’t it better that they lose on the road to an opponent they were expected to beat, in a game they could have won with better concentration, in an effort that exposed some glaring weaknesses, so that they may hear the criticisms and respond with greater attention to those weaknesses?

With the Riverside loss, many are calling for explanations from the coaching staff. And I, too, would like some explanations. But I don’t expect that we’ll be hearing them in the form of words. I think we’ll be seeing their explanations in the form of their play at Fullerton this Thursday night, and potentially throughout the rest of the season. After the loss to Riverside, will the 49ers continue to struggle so woefully from the free-throw line? Will they allow opposing role players to dominate their defense? Will they stand idly by as a lead withers away and then turns into a deficit?

Will they allow their weaknesses to compromise their shot at a conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth?

I would be surprised to see these issues turn into full-fledged emergencies after such a disappointing loss so early in the season. This game provides Long Beach with an opportunity to correct their weaknesses now.

And if I were a fan, I’d be happier with that than I would be with any statement from Coach Monson.