Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Home On Friday
11/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
49ers Host Bakersfield On Friday
Beach 1-1 On Year After Win Over SJSU
November 16, 2006
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OVERALL RECORD: 1-1 BIG WEST RECORD: 0-0 |
Game No. 3 Friday, November 17, 7:35 pm CS Bakersfield at Long Beach State Walter Pyramid (5,000), Long Beach, CA Internet Radio: www.longbeachstate.com |
PROBABLE STARTERS |
| LONG BEACH STATE (1-1) |
| F-15-Sterling Byrd (6-6, Sr., 18.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) |
| C-44-Dominique Ricks (6-6, Sr., 9.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg) |
| G-1-Kejuan Johnson (6-4, Sr., 8.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg) |
| G-20-Kevin Houston (5-10, Sr., 8.5 ppg, 5.0 apg) |
| G-55-Aaron Nixon (6-2, Sr., 18.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) |
| CS BAKERSFIELD (0-1) |
| F-5-Richard Andrews (6-3, Sr., 22.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg) |
| C-34-Rick Robinson (6-7, Jr., 6.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg) |
| G-3-Dwuan Rice (5-11, Sr., 24.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) |
| G-4-Randall harding (6-2, Sr., 0.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg) |
| G-23-Zack Grasmick (6-2, Jr., 8.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg) |
THE RECORDS
·49ers Coming Off 18-12 Season
Long Beach State is 1-1 on the season after splitting two games this week at the CBE Classic at Stanford. The 49ers fell in their opener to Air Force, 69-68, but came back to capture the consolation title with an 86-67 win over San Jose State. The 49ers host Cal State Bakersfield on Friday evening. The Roadrunners are 0-1 on the year. They lost at Pacific 75-67 on November 11. CSUB will play at LMU on Sunday afternoon.
THE COACH
·16-7 Last Two Seasons In February And March
Larry Reynolds (UC Riverside, 1976) is 40-76 (.345) in four years as the head coach at Long Beach State. Overall, Reynolds is 150-111 (.575) entering his ninth year as a collegiate head coach.
THE SERIES
·49ers Lead Series With CSUB, 1-0
· USC Leads Series, 6-5
The 49ers lead their series with Cal State Bakersfield by a 1-0 count. The only meeting took place on December 22, 1984 in Long Beach (at the Long Beach Arena), a 61-58 49er triumph. Long Beach State trails in its series with USC, 6-5. The last meeting was on December 12, 2001 in The Walter Pyramid, an 86-68 USC victory. USC has won the last two meetings, including a 95-73 win on December 30, 2000 at the Sports Arena.
CBE CLASSIC
·49ers Go 1-1 At Stanford Tournament
The 49ers kicked off their season at the College Basketball Experience (CBE) Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday at Stanford. Long Beach fell to Air Force 69-68 in the opening contest, but then defeated San Jose State on Wednesday, 86-67. Against the Falcons, Aaron Nixon had 17 points and Sterling Byrd 16, but the 49ers fell in the closing seconds of the game. Long Beach shot .422 (27-64) from the field and were just 7-14 at the free throw line. Air Force, which was led by Jacob Burtschi's 22 points, was only 17-27 at the charity stripe and committed 19 turnovers. In the victory over San Jose State, Byrd had a career-high 20 points, Nixon chipped in with 19 and Dominique Ricks had 11 points and 10 rebounds. The 49ers out-rebounded the Spartans 43-41 and forced 22 SJSU turnovers. San Jose shot just .333 (19-57) from the field for the contest. Kejuan Johnson added 13 points and six rebounds for the 49ers and Kevin Houston had eight assists to go along with his six points.
MEDIA DAY ON OCT. 25
·Beach Picked To Win Big West
The annual Big West Conference Media Day was held on October 25 at the Irvine Hilton, the 49ers were picked to win the 2007 Big West Championship. In the media poll, the 49ers received 18 out of 20 first place votes. In the coaches poll, the 49ers received three first place votes and tied Pacific with 45 points. Individually, Kejuan Johnson and Aaron Nixon were both named by the media to the pre-season all-conference squad.
CS BAKERSFIELD FACTS
·Roadrunners 0-1 On Season
Cal State Bakersfield is in its first season of transitioning to Division I. The Roadrunners opened up their season on November 11 with a 75-67 defeat at Pacific. Dwuan Rice led CSUB with 24 points and six assists while forward Richard Andrews added 22 points and eight rebounds. Bakersfield shot .449 (22-49) from the field for the game. Bakersfield will play at LMU on Sunday and will also take on NCAA Division I teams in Pepperdine, Saint Mary's, San Diego and Utah State. They are playing a full California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) schedule for the final time. CSUB was 21-8 last year and finished second in the CCAA at 15-5. They advanced to the NCAA West Regional Division II semifinals and return three starters.
THE BEACH ON TV
·Next TV Game On Nov. 24 at USC
The 49ers will be on television a total of eight times during the regular season, with the opportunity of six more telecasts making the airwaves. The next televised game will be on Friday, Nov. 24 at USC. The game will be televised live on FSN Prime Ticket. Long Beach is currently 1-0 on TV this year.
49ERS RANKED IN MID-MAJOR POLL
·Beach Checks In At No. 23
The 49ers are ranked No. 23 in the country in the pre-season Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, released on November 6. Long Beach received 128 votes and is the only Big West team in the rankings. Pacific received 103 votes and stands at No. 27. Cal State Fullerton received one vote. Creighton, Gonzaga, Hofstra, Southern Illinois and Wichita State are the top five squads. The Mid-Major Poll is sponsored by The College Insider (www.collegeinsider.com). The next poll will be released on December 4.
NUMBER ONE IN SCORING
·83.3 ppg Led Nation Last Season
The 49ers led the nation last season in scoring, averaging 83.3 points per game. Long Beach scored 80 or more points 16 times, 90 or more points 10 times and broke the 100-point barrier three times (108 vs. San Francisco State and Manhattan, 101 vs. CS Northridge). The 83.3 point per game average was an increase of 22.6 points per game (60.7 ppg during 2004-05 season). The 83.3 points per game was not a school-record though as the 49ers averaged 90.1 points per game during the 1972-73 campaign. Ironically, Long Beach did not lead the nation in scoring that season. Oral Roberts led the nation at 97.3 points per game. The 49ers were sixth at 90.1 ppg.
THREE-POINT RECORDS
·21st In Nation In Three's Per Game
Last year the 49ers averaged 8.53 made three's per game, a mark which ranked No. 21 in the nation. Long Beach set a school-record for made and attempted three's last season, going 256 of 721. The 256 made three's shattered the previous school-record of 200 set during the 1992-93 campaign. Through two games thus far the 49ers are averaging 7.0 made three's per game, but are shooting just .280 (14-50) from long-range.
THREE-POINT STREAK
·144 Games And Counting
The 49ers have connected on at least on three-pointer in every game Larry Reynolds has coached at Long Beach State (115 games). The 49ers have hit at least one three-pointer in 144 consecutive games, dating back to the 2001-02 season. The last time Long Beach State didn't hit a three in a game was in the 2001-02 season opener against Western Michigan (11/15/01) where The Beach was 0-9.
SENIORITIS
·Eight Seniors On Roster
The 2006-07 roster is packed with experience. There are eight seniors on the roster in Sterling Byrd, Louis Darby, Mark Dawson, Dominic Freeman, Kevin Houston, Kejuan Johnson, Aaron Nixon and Dominique Ricks.
CAUSING HAVOC
·Defense Forcing Turnovers
The 49ers are forcing an average of 20.5 turnovers per game through their first two outings. In its opener, the 49ers force 19 Air Force miscues and the next night forced 22 San Jose State turnovers. The 49ers are also averaging 9.0 steals per game, garnering a season-high 10 steals vs. San Jose State. On the opposite end, the 49ers have been taking care of the basketball as they are averaging just 14.0 turnovers per game.
HOUSTON RANKS NO. 10
·He Passes Tyrone Mitchell
Senior point guard Kevin Houston (Highland) has recorded 10 assists this season in two games and has jumped to the No. 10 spot on the 49er career chart for assists with 294. He needs just seven more to move past Rasul Salahuddin into the number nine spot.
2006 BIG WEST TOURNAMENT
·First Appearance In Title Game Since 1995
The 49ers reached the championship game of the 2006 Big West Tournament for the first time since 1995. The 49ers knocked off CS Fullerton (94-91) and UC Irvine (75-73) to reach its first title game in 11 years. The 49ers have been in the finals seven times and have a 3-4 record, winning titles in 1977, 1993 and 1995.
AARON NIXON
·Pre-Season 1st Team All-Big West
·Averaging 18.0 Points and 8.0 Rebounds Per Game
Aaron Nixon was selected first team pre-season all-conference by the media at the 2006 Big West Basketball Media Day in October. Nixon has earned numerous pre-season accolades thus far, as he was selected as the Big West Player of the Year by Lindy's College Basketball Magazine and is a pre-season first team all-league pick by Athlon, Lindy's, Street & Smith and USA Today. Through the first two games of the season Nixon is averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He tallied 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the opener against Air Force and then followed that with 19 points and seven boards in the win over San Jose State. Last year Nixon led the 49ers in scoring at 14.7 points per game. He also added 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per outing. At the Big West Tournament he averaged 25.3 points per game in the three outings, earning All-Tournament honors.
KEJUAN JOHNSON
·Averaged 11.5 Points Per Game Last Year
·13 Points and 6 Rebounds vs. San Jose State
Kejuan Johnson is rated by Lindy's College Basketball Magazine the No. 23 point guard in the country. Johnson was selected by the media a pre-season first team all-conference pick at Media Day and is predicted by Lindy's and Street & Smith to be a first team all-league selection in 2007. Through two outings Johnson is averaging 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Johnson played in 23 games last year and averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He was selected second team All-Big West. Johnson hit double digits in scoring 16 times and had a career-high 20 points in the victory at CS Northridge.
STERLING BYRD
·Averaging 18.0 Points Per Game
·Career-High 20 Points vs. San Jose State
Sterling Byrd has begun the season on fire. He is averaging 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting .682 (15-22) from the field and .417 (5-12) from three-point range. Byrd had a career-high 20 points, while adding six boards, in the win over San Jose State. Against Air Force he has 16 points and six boards. He broke his career-high for points in back-to-back games as his previous high at LBSU was 13 points against San Francisco State last year. Byrd averaged 3.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game last season for the 49ers. Byrd shot an impressive .400 (20-50) from three-point range last season.
DOMINIQUE RICKS
·Records Double-Double vs. San Jose State
·Averaging 8.0 Rebounds Per Game
Dominique Ricks is off to a great start for the 49ers. Ricks is averaging 9.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting .692 (9-13) from the field. In the win over San Jose State he posted his first double-double of the year with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The 10 rebounds ties his career-high. He was 5-5 from the field and five of his boards were offensive. Against Air Force, Ricks had eight points and six boards. Of his 16 overall rebounds this season, 10 are offensive. Ricks played in all 30 games last season, averaging 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He had a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds at Sacramento State and finished the season shooting .574 (54-94) from the field.
KEVIN HOUSTON
·Moves Into Top 10 In Assists
·Averaging 5.0 Assists and 8.5 Points Per Game
Kevin Houston got off to a good start this week at the CBE Classic. He had 11 points against Air Force and followed that up with eight assists and six points vs. San Jose State. Houston is averaging 5.0 assists and 8.5 points per game thus far. Last year Houston averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. A true point guard who can score, Houston currently has accumulated 294 career assists at Long Beach State. He has moved into the No. 10 spot on the 49er career chart. Houston hit double digits in scoring 13 times last year, including a season-high 17 points against Manhattan and Pepperdine. He had 12 games where he registered four or more assists and he led the team with his 98 assists. Houston also led the 49ers with 36 steals.
MARK DAWSON
·Career-High 19 Rebounds Against UCR
·Six Points, Three Rebounds vs. San Jose State
Mark Dawson is averaging 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game through the first two outings. He had six points and three rebounds in the win over San Jose State. Two of his three boards were on the offensive glass. In the exhibition game vs. Chapman, he had a team-high six rebounds and added four points in 16 minutes. Dawson concluded last year averaging 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive .591 (65-110) from the field. In Big West games he averaged 5.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per outing while shooting .635 (33-52). Dawson led the team with 36 blocked shots, a mark which ranks No. 7 on the 49er single season chart. He had a career-high 16 points and six blocked shots in the overtime win at UC Davis and recorded 10 points and a career-best 19 rebounds at home against UC Riverside.
LOUIS DARBY
·8.7 Points Per Game In Big West Games
·5 Points vs. Air Force
Fifth-year senior Louis Darby is ready for a big senior campaign. Darby had five points and three rebounds in 18 minutes against Air Force. He did not score against San Jose State. In the exhibition game against Chapman, Darby had 14 points and five steals in 20 minutes. He was seven-of-eight from the field and also dished out two assists. Darby averaged 6.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game last year in 29 games, but in Big West Conference games he averaged 8.7 points per outing. Darby hit double digits in scoring eight times last year, seven of those coming against Big West teams. He had a season-high 15 points in the home win over Cal Poly and 14 points in the win at CS Northridge. Each season his field goal percentage has increased from .397 in 2003-04 to .421 in 2004-05 to a personal-best .467 (56-120) last year.
DOMINIC FREEMAN
·Coach Reynolds Tabs Freeman As "Mr. Versatile"
Dominic Freeman played five minutes in the win over San Jose State and finished with two points and one offensive rebounds. Freeman is a walk-on to the 49er program. Last year he appeared in 15 games averaging 0.8 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. Freeman hit five-of-seven shots from the field for the year (.714) and had five points in the opener at UNLV, his season-high. In the win at CS Northridge he had two points and four rebounds. Freeman is a workhorse down low for the 49ers and has been titled "Mr. Versatile" by the coaching staff because he can play a lot of positions for the team.
TRAVON FREE
·Has Missed The Past 41 Games Due To Injury
Travon Free played against San Jose State (11/15), his first action since January 29, 2005. Free played two minutes in the first half against the Spartans. He sat out last year, and missed the final 11 games of the 2004-05 season, due to knee injuries. He tore the meniscus in his right knee in January of 2005 and has not played a game since January 29, 2005 where he had five points and seven rebounds against Utah State. In 2004-05 he averaged 3.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17 games, including grabbing a career-high 19 rebounds at UCSB.
Artis Gant
·Career-Best 10 Points Vs. San Francisco State
·Six Points vs. Air Force
Artis Gant heads into his sophomore year with more experience under his belt. He averaged 13.5 minutes in the first two games of the year and is averaging 5.0 points per game. Against Air Force he had six points and a steal in 16 minutes. Against San Jose State he played 11 minutes finishing with four points. Gant appeared in 16 games last season, averaging 1.3 points and 0.3 rebounds per game. He had a career-best 10 points in the win over San Francisco State, while also adding four assists in 19 minutes of action.
Arturas Lazdauskas
·All-League Selection At Hollywood HS
·Has To Sit Until December 28
Arturas Lazdauskas redshirted last year for the 49ers and will be sidelined until December 28 due to eligibility issues after his transfer from a prep school last fall. After prepping at Hollywood High School, he briefly attended a prep school in Mendenhall, MS before returning home after Hurricane Katrina. Lazdauskas averaged 15.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game his senior year in high school and was a first team all-league pick. At 6-7 he can go inside, but he is also a strong perimeter shooter who is very skilled.
Andrew Fleming
·Awarded A Scholarship This Past Spring
·Six Points vs. Chapman
Andrew Fleming played two minutes on Wednesday against San Jose State, recording a steal. Fleming redshirted last season for the 49ers out of Cypress High School. With just three years of basketball experience, Fleming's game is still growing. He played in the exhibition game vs. Chapman, finishing with six points, three rebounds and a blocked shot. Awarded a scholarship this past spring, Fleming will see minutes on the court in the post. As a senior at Cypress HS he averaged eight points and 10 rebounds per game.
TIM ISLAND
·Averaged 22.0 ppg As A Senior In High School
·Five Points Against San Jose State
True freshman Tim Island saw his first action as a 49er in the win over San Jose State. Island, out of San Diego and University High School, played nine minutes and finished with five points. He was 2-4 from the floor, including hitting a three-pointer. As a senior at University, Island averaged 22.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting .580 from the field. He was a first team CIF Division II selection as well.
Chris Peys
·Sharp-shooter Out Of Long Beach Poly HS
Chris Peys is a walk-on this season who prepped at Long Beach Poly High School. He played a total of five minutes in the two games this week. Peys garnered a rebound against Air Force in three minutes. He did not take a shot from the field. An excellent three-point shooter, Peys attended Worcester Academy Prep School last year and averaged 11.0 points per game. Saturday night in the the exhibition game he played nine minutes, but did not score. As a senior at Poly he averaged 7.2 points per outing and led the team with 38 three's.
Darnell Porter
·A Two-Time "Dream Team" Selection
Darnell Porter is a walk-on out of Millikan High School in Long Beach. Porter played four minutes against Chapman in the exhibition game and was 0-1 from the field. He did not play against Air Force or San Jose State. Last year at Millikan he averaged 20.3 points per game and was a first team All-Moore League and second team All-CIF selection. Porter was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior and was named to the Long Beach Press-Telegram's "Dream Team" twice.
LANE WHITNEY
·Local Product Out Of Millikan HS
Lane Whitney is another local product out of Millikan High School. Whitney played two minutes against Chapman, but did not score. He did not play vs. Air Force or San Jose State. As a senior last season Whitney averaged 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game as the Rams finished in second place in the Moore League. A first team all-league pick, Whitney was named to the Long Beach Press-Telegram's "Dream Team".
