Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Start Week On The Road At Cal State Fullerton
1/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Long Beach, Calif. -
Complete Beach Game Notes (Cal State Fullerton) 
Game: Long Beach State at Cal State Fullerton
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2015
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Fullerton, Calif.
Arena: Titan Gym (4,000)
TV: Fox Sports Prime Ticket
TV Talent: Fred Salas, Corey Maggette
Radio: KBEACH.org; HD 88.1-3
Radio Talent: Rob Brender
Webcast: FoxSportsGo.com
Live Stats: fullertontitans.com
RIGHT AWAY
• Senior Mike Caffey leads the 49ers in 2014-15, averaging 17.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. The senior was named to the Lou Henson Award midseason watch list, given to the top mid-major player in the country, and Caffey is also among the front-runners for the Big West Player of the Year. Caffey ranks second in scoring in the Big West, and is seventh in assists while gunning for a third first-team All-Big West selection.
• Caffey is 17 points away from becoming the eighth player in Long Beach State history to reach 1,500 points, and ranks in the school's Top 10 in assists (6th) and steals (7th) as well. He can join Ed Ratleff as the only 49er in school history to record 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists with 50 more rebounds this season.
• David Samuels has had an outstanding start to Big West play. The senior ranks second in the league in rebounding in conference play, and has started the Big West season averaging a double-double over the first five games of the season
• Dan Monson is one win away from No. 300 in his career, and can reach the milestone Thursday at Cal State Fullerton. In his 18th season as a head coach, Monson can join UCSB's Bob Williams as the only coaches in the Big West to record 300 wins. Monson currently ranks as the 15th winningest coach in Big West history.
• Long Beach State is using a rotation of 11 players in 2014-15, and has seen 10 of them reach double-figures this season. Mike Caffey has hit double-digits in all but two games this season, and has been joined in that club this season by Tyler Lamb, David Samuels, McKay LaSalle, Branford Jones, Eric McKnight, Travis Hammonds and three freshmen in Deontae North, Jack Williams and Temidayo Yussuf.
THE PLAYERS
• Tyler Lamb returned to the starting lineup after missing the first two games, and had a great start, scoring 17 points with three rebounds and two blocks. Lamb is averaging 9.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 2014-15 with the 49ers, second on the team in both categories.
• Forward David Samuels has started each game in his senior season after starting 29 games for the Beach as a junior college transfer last season. Samuels has five double-doubles with the Beach, and is averaging 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season, leading the team in rebounding and sitting third in scoring.
• Branford Jones has adjusted to a number of roles this season, averaging 7.6 points per game. The sophomore has saved his best for some of the 49ers' biggest games, leading the team in scoring with 14 points against Kansas State and scoring 13 points in LBSU's win over Xavier. Jones also led the team in scoring at No. 5 Louisville. In his latest return to the starting lineup, Jones has scored in double-figures against both Fresno Pacific and UC Irvine, and scored eight points at UC Davis.
• Eric McKnight had his best week as a 49er at Syracuse and Louisville. A starter for Florida Gulf Coast's "Dunk City" team that reached the Sweet 16, McKnight joined the Beach this season as a graduate transfer for his final year of eligibility. McKnight had a season high 14 points at Syracuse, tying for the team lead, and then had a team high seven rebounds at No. 5 Louisville.
THIS AND THAT
• Long Beach State closed out the non-conference with the nation's most difficult schedule out of 351 Division I teams, as rated by kenpom.com. The schedule also rated as the No. 3 schedule as rated solely by opponent winning percentage entering league play. Over the last six seasons, the 49ers have ranked non lower than sixth in strength of schedule, and have had the toughest schedule twice.
• Over the last five years, the 49ers have won three regular season titles and have finished no lower than third in the Big West, winning a league-best 61 conference games in the last five seasons.
• Long Beach State won their rematch over Xavier on November 30, and after beating Kansas State earlier in the year, has beaten two Power 6 teams for the first time since the 2011-12 season, the last time Beach advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The 49ers have seven wins over Power 6 teams under Dan Monson.
• Long Beach State is scheduled for as many as 23 national broadcasts this season - Over 70% of the team's games even before the Big West Tournament. The program has 22 guaranteed games this season, breaking last season's record of 21, as the Beach continues to gain additional exposure.
• Now with 129 wins at LBSU, Dan Monson recorded win No. 123 at Long Beach State in a 73-70 win over Xavier and passed Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry Tarkanian for the most as the head coach of the 49ers. Monson received a contract extension this offseason, and is committed to the Beach through the 2018-19 season.
• After CSUN shot 92% from the free throw line Saturday, Long Beach State continues to have bad luck in that area - The 49ers' Division I foes are shooting the 4th best percentage from the charity strip in the nation out of 351 teams, 75.6% total.
ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON
• Cal State Fullerton was just over .500 in their non-conference action, but has struggled so far in the Big West, going 0-5 to start the season. The Titans lost in overtime at UC Riverside to start the conference campaign, then fell to UC Irvine, UC Davis, and dropped both halves of the Central Coast trip.
• Alex Harris is leading the Titans in both scoring and assists in 2014-15, averaging 15.3 points per game along with 3.3 assists per game. Harris is also third on the team in rebounding, averaging 4.2 per contest.
• Steve McClellan is leading the team in rebounding at 8.1 per game, and is tops in the whole conference in Big West play, at 10.8 per game, just in front of David Samuels' 10.4 rebounds per game, as Thursday's contest features the top two rebounders over the first five games.
• Thursday marks the 110th meeting between the rival schools, with Long Beach State having won 62 to 44, with three vacated wins. Long Beach State won the last meeting between the teams in last year's Big West Tournament quarterfinals, as four 49ers scored in double-figures in a 66-56 victory.
• Cal State Fullerton won the last meeting between the two teams in Titan Gym, winning 84-76 on the strength of a 28 point performance from Michael Williams. Among the returning players, both Alex Harris and Mike Caffey had 22 points last year.
UP NEXT
• Long Beach State returns to the Walter Pyramid and will host Hawai'i at 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 31. The game will be carried live on ESPN3.
