Long Beach State University Athletics
LONG BEACH STATE WELCOMES BIOLA TO THE WALTER PYRAMID
12/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
GAME #10
Long Beach State (6-4)
vs. Biola (8-3)
Date: Friday, Dec. 16
Time: 7 p.m. (PT)
Arena: Walter Pyramid (4,200)
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
Radio: KBeach.org
Radio Talent: Jason Schwartz
Webcast: BigWestTV
LONG BEACH STATE WELCOMES BIOLA TO THE WALTER PYRAMID
The Long Beach State women's basketball team is set to host Biola University at the Walter Pyramid on Friday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. The non-conference contest will be an exhibition game for the NAIA affiliated Biola Eagles, while the game will be a regular-season match for the Beach.
QUICK HITS
• This year has been a season of streaks for the Beach as they are currently riding a three-game winning streak, after snapping a four-game losing streak, which came on the heels of a season-opening three-game winning streak.
• Senior Madison Montgomery was named Big West Conference Player of the Week (Dec. 12) after tying her career-high with 22 points at LMU and averaging 17.5 points per game over the weekend.
• Senior Jewelyn Sawyer was named to the All-Tournament Team at the ASU Classic after totaling 23 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and two blocks agaisnt No. 19 Florida and Boston University.
• Senior Raven Benton moved into 14th place on the 1,000 point scorers list after bringing her career total to 1,166 points.
• The Beach has led the Big West in steals in each of the last three seasons and is currently sitting atop the league with 113 which ranks them 21st in the nation. The 49ers' average of 11.3 steals per game is good for 34th in the NCAA.
• In addition to leading the league in steals, LBSU also leads the Big West in Turnover Margin (+6.1), Offensive Rebounds (16.0) and Three-Point Field Goals Made (91).
• Over the last two years, Long Beach State has compiled an impressive 52-23 record for a winning percentage of .693.
• Long Beach State was tabbed as the favorite to claim the 2016-17 Big West title in both the coaches preseason poll and the media poll.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Biola comes to Walter Pyramid for a Friday evening, non-conference contest that will go down as an exhibition game for the Eagles, but will be a regular-season match for Long Beach State. The Eagles bring an 8-3 record to Long Beach as they are currently riding a three-game winning streak after having defeated Chapman (74-68), Azusa Pacific (74-69) and William Jessup (64-47).
Biola boasts four double-figure scorers in DeMoria White (19.9 points per game), Annie Park (13.0 ppg), Joclyn Kirton (12.1 ppg) and Emma Newman (10.0 ppg). Kirton is the Eagles' leading rebounder with 8.3 boards per game, while she also contributes 21 assists, 14 steals and five blocks. In addition to averaging 13.0 points per game, Park leads the team with 53 assists, whiel adding 36 rebounds and 24 steals. White, the team's leading scorer, is also the Eagles' leader in steals as she has swiped 30 steals on the year to average 2.73 steals per game.
SERIES VS. BIOLA
Long Beach State and Biola will meet for just the fourth time in program history and for the first time since 1979. The Beach had been victorious in all three meetings as the Eagles are looking for their first-ever win over the 49ers. When playing in Long Beach, Calif., LBSU is 2-0, as it has defeated Biola 92-62 in 1978 and 87-60 in 1979.
