49ERS HIT THE ROAD THIS WEEK
January 6, 2003
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LONG BEACH STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL
Overall Record: 1-9
Big West Record: 0-1
UPCOMING ACTION | Thr., Jan. 9 | | | | | at UC Riverside | 7:10 pm | Riverside, CA | Radio: KRLA
(870 AM) | | Sat., Jan. 11 | | | | | at CS Fullerton | 7:05 pm | Fullerton, CA | Radio: KRLA
(870 AM) |
49ER PROBABLE STARTERS
| F | 30 | Kevin Roberts | (6-7, 235, Jr., 11.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg) | | F | 32 | Vance Lawhorn | (6-8, 230, Sr., 6.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg) | | C | 24 | Antoine Jackson | (6-8, 240, Jr., 5.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg) | | G | 11 | Darnell Thompson | (6-2, 195, Jr., 4.8 ppg, 2.8 apg) | | G | 20 | Tony Darden | (6-4, 200, Sr., 16.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg) |
Check out the 2002-03 Roster Check out the 2002-03 Schedule
The Records: Long Beach State looks to snap an eight-game losing streak when they play at UC Riverside on Thursday and at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. The 49ers are 1-9 overall and 0-1 in the Big West after dropping its league opener at home to UC Irvine, 69-52, on Saturday night. UCR is 1-7 overall and 0-2 in league play after falling at UCSB (65-49) and at Cal Poly (83-77) this weekend. CS Fullerton is 3-8 overall and 1-1 in league play. The Titans lost at Cal Poly (65-44) but came back and stunned UCSB on Saturday night, 57-55 in overtime.
The Coach: Larry Reynolds (UC Riverside, 1976) is 1-9 (.100) in his first year at Long Beach State. Reynolds compiled a career mark of 110-35 (.759) in five years as the head coach at Cal State San Bernardino. He led the Coyotes to two NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearances (1998-99, 2001-02) and four CCAA Championships. Last year CSUSB was 28-2 and advanced to the Elite Eight. He was named the CCAA Coach of the Year four consecutive seasons.
The Series Records: The 49ers lead their series with UC Riverside by a 16-1 count. Last year the Highlanders won at The Pyramid, 73-67, while the 49ers won at UCR, 69-66. The 49ers are 6-0 all-time in game played at UCR. Long Beach leads its series with CS Fullerton by a 50-32 count. The 49ers have won six consecutive games from the Titans, including a 68-60 win at The Pyramid last season and a 77-60 win at Titan Gym. The 49ers are 17-21 all-time in games at CSUF, having won the last three in a row.
49ers Fall To UCI: Freshman guard Jeff Gloger had 17 points and five steals, and a trio of Anteaters scored 12 points apiece, as UC Irvine won its league opener 69-52 at The Pyramid. Tony Darden led the 49ers with 18 points and Vance Lawhorn and Darnell Thompson had 10 each. The game was tied 28-28 at halftime, but UCI broke the game open with a 15-0 run, turing a 33-32 deficit into a 47-33 lead at 12:15. The 49ers got no closer than 13 points (53-40) the rest of the game. UCI out-rebounded the 49ers 34 to 19 and forced 21 turnovers.
Darden Breaks Loose For 18: After scoring just 17 points in his previous two games, senior guard Tony Darden (Snow Hill, NC) broke out with 18 points on Saturday vs. UC Irvine. Darden was 4-7 from three-point range and also added three assists in his 32 minutes. In his previous five games Darden had struggled from long-range, hitting just 9-41 (.220) of his three's. The four made three's is the third-most he has hit this year, connecting on eight vs. Pepperdine and five vs. CS Monterey Bay. Darden leads the 49ers in scoring at 16.4 points per game and has tallied double-digits in scoring in nine of the 10 games. He scored a career-high 26 points in the win over CS Monterey Bay and was 8-11 from three-point range, good for 245 points, vs. Pepperdine. The eight made three's vs. the Waves tied a 49er school record, set by Morlon Wiley vs. UCSB on Feb. 4, 1987. Darden has also done a fine job in passing the ball as he is tied for the team lead with 28 assists. He recorded five last Monday vs. Portland and added three on Saturday vs. UC Irvine.
Roberts Gets A Hot Hand: After scoring just nine points in each of his previous two games, junior forward Kevin Roberts (Petaluma, CA) exploded for a season-high 21 points against Portland on Monday evening. Roberts was 7-10 from the field and also added five rebounds, two assists and three blocks in his 34 minutes of action. Roberts is second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game and he is the 49ers leading rebounder at 5.5 boards per outing. Roberts has scored in double figures five times this year, including 16 points vs. CS Monterey Bay and 15 at Charlotte. Three times this season he has grabbed a career-high tying nine rebounds (CS Monterey Bay, San Diego State, LMU). His 18 offensive boards is second on the team, and he leads the 49ers with 13 steals.
Antoine Jackson Sets Career-High: Junior Antoine Jackson (San Antonio, TX) grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds, and added nine points and two blocks, in Monday's game vs. Portland. Jackson, who is averaging 5.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, is shooting an impressive .629 (22-35) from the field. Of his 43 total rebounds, 19 are offensive glass, a team-best. Jackson scored a career-high 12 points and added five rebounds vs. CS Monterey Bay on Nov. 26.
Thompson Scores 10 Vs. UCI: Junior guard Darnell Thompson (Riverside, CA) had a career-high 10 points on Saturday vs. UC Irvine and is averaging 6.5 points per game in his last six outings since stepping into the starting point guard role on Dec. 8 at UCLA. Thompson is tied for the team lead with 28 assists (2.8 apg), with his season-high of six coming on Nov. 26 vs. CS Monterey Bay. Thompson is currently averaging 4.8 points and 2.8 assists per game.
Lawhorn Strong Vs. UCI: Senior Vance Lawhorn (Las Vegas, NV) sat out the game at Gonzaga due to a groin pull, but was in the starting lineup vs. Portland and UC Irvine. Lawhorn had a season-high tying 10 points vs. UCI, while adding five rebounds in a career-best 32 minutes of action. Lawhorn is averaging 6.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Against San Diego State he had nine points and four rebounds, while at UCLA he had eight points. Lawhorn had a career-high 10 rebounds, and added nine points, in the 49ers 65-63 loss to Pepperdine on December 2. In the win over CS Monterey Bay (11/26) he tallied a 10 points and added three rebounds and three blocks in just 13 minutes of playing time.
Graham Big In The Middle: Redshirt freshman Alex Graham (Redlands, CA) played 15 minutes on Saturday vs. UCI, his second-longest stint on the court this season. Graham finished with one rebound and a blocked shot vs. UCI. At Gonzaga (Dec. 20) he scored a career-high eight points in a career-best 16 minutes of playing time. Graham was 4-6 from the field and also grabbed two rebounds. At Loyola Marymount on Dec. 14 he finished with four points and a career-high three rebounds in 10 minutes. Graham is shooting .636 (7-11) from the field, while averaging 2.3 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.
Darden On Three-Point Chart: Senior Tony Darden (Snow Hill, NC) continues his climb up the 49er career charts for three-pointers. Darden was 4-7 from long-range vs. UC Irvine on Saturday and is 31-79 (.392) from long-range this season. His 91 career three's ranks eighth all-time in 49er history and his 254 attempts ranks ninth. Last season Darden was 60-175 (.343) from long-range. The 60 made three's tied for fifth on the 49er single season chart.
Hodges Plays Well: Freshman point guard Jibril Hodges (Park Forest, IL) had a strong game vs. UC Irvine on Saturday as he finished with three points, three assists and a steal in his 15 minutes of action. The three assists is a season-high for the freshman, who is averaging 2.1 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game this year. At Gonzaga on Dec. 20 he finished with five points and two assists in 11 minutes of action. The five points tied his previous career-high which he set on Dec. 2 vs. Pepperdine. In his first collegiate game, Hodges scored three points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out two assists at Charlotte. Hodges is the son of former 49er, and Chicago Bull, great Craig Hodges. The elder Hodges played at LBSU from 1978-82 and is the fifth-leading scorer in school history with 1,476 career points.
Clark Sees Duty: Walk-on junior guard Travis Clark (Carlsbad, CA) played in his second game of the season on Saturday vs. UC Irvine and contributed two points, one rebound and two assists in 21 minutes. Clark also played in Monday's game vs. Portland, playing eight minutes. Clark came to LBSU from Mira Costa College where he was a second team All-Pacific Coast Conference pick as a sophomore after averaging 12.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Pearson Still Doubtful: Sophomore Cody Pearson (Sherman Oaks, CA) hurt his left knee on Monday vs. Portland and sat out the UCI game on Saturday. He is expected to miss both games this week. Pearson had a strong outing vs. Portland, finishing with four points, five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes. The four assists ties his career-high and the 24 minutes played is a new career-best. Pearson is averaging 2.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game and is shooting .526 (10-19) from the field. Of his 33 total rebounds this season, 11 are on the offensive glass.
Three-Point Shooting Improves Vs. UCI: The 49ers were 6-13 (.462) on Saturday night from three-point range vs. UC Irvine, its best single game shooting performance since hitting .500 (10-20) on December 2 vs. Pepperdine, seven games ago. In its previous six games, heading into the UCI contest, the 49ers were just 24-113 (.212) from three-point range. Long Beach had shot under .250 from three-point range in five consecutive games.
Low Scoring Affair: Monday's game vs. Portland was the lowest scoring game this season, 103 points combined between the two squads (previous low was 119 points vs. San Diego State, 64-55). LBSU had a season-low 49 points, but, the 49ers gave up just 54 points, a season-low. The previous opponent low score was the 64 points scored by San Diego State. In five home games the 49ers have played strong defense, allowing opponents just 65.0 points per game. The problem has been finding the hoop as the 49ers are averaging just 60.6 points per game at The Pyramid.
Opponent Season Lows: The Long Beach State defense stepped up on Monday vs. Portland, limiting the Pilots to just 54 points and a .365 (19-52) field goal percentage. Both of those totals are opponent lows this season.
Field Goal Percentage On Upswing?: After shooting under .400 from the field for four consecutive games, the 49ers shot .442 (19-43) from the field on Monday vs. Portland, its highest field goal percentage in a game since shooting .458 (22-48) at Southern Utah on December 4. Saturday vs. UCI, The Beach shot .395 (15-38) from the field.
Rebounding Woes: The 49ers had just 19 rebounds on Saturday vs. UC Irvine, compared to 34 for the Anteaters. The 19 boards is a season-low. The 49ers have been out-rebounded five times this season, including two of its last three games.
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