Long Beach State Basketball Falls Short at USC, 75-65

Wednesday, November 28

Los Angeles, Calif.

8:00 P.M.

Long Beach State University

2-6

USC

5-2

Long Beach St.

Southern California

Photo by: John Fajardo

11/28/2018 10:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Beach again performed well in Los Angeles, pushing USC until the final minute at Galen Center before ultimately falling, 75-65, on Wednesday night.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The Beach (2-6) went on the road to USC (5-2) on Wednesday night and stayed in the game until the final minute before the Trojans pulled away for a 75-65 victory at Galen Center. Long Beach State used a key 10-0 run in the second half to get within two on multiple occasions in the second half, and it was a one possession game with 90 seconds to play until USC closed the night on a 7-0 run to pull away.

Sophomore Jordan Roberts established a new career high with 13 points for the Beach while also adding seven rebounds. He tied for the team lead in scoring with Bryan Alberts, who made three triples on his way to a baker's dozen. Los Angeles native Ron Freeman had a strong night as well, scoring 12 points with a team-high eight rebounds. Temidayo Yussuf added nine points and six boards inside. Long Beach State outrebounded USC, 47-45, buoyed by 18 offensive rebounds.

The difference in the game may have been at the three-point line, where USC was 7/14 and Long Beach State shot just 5-22 (22.7%), including 1/7 in the second half. Long Beach State got 25 points off the bench, led by Roberts' 13, and held USC's bench players to just nine points.

Long Beach trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, but pulled back to within two with 1:19 left on a 3-pointer from Freeman. Unfortunately, USC nailed two triples in the final minute to stretch its advantage to 36-28 at intermission.

After halftime, the Trojans lead swelled to 14 with 14:29, but that's when LBSU made its key run to pull right back into the game. Long Beach State went on an immediate 10-0 run, started off by a three-point-play and a thunderous dunk from Freeman. Back-to-back buckets from Alberts and Mason Riggins made it 47-43 Trojans, forcing a USC timeout with 10:51 to go.

USC didn't lead by more than eight until the final seconds as the Beach held it close, pulling to within two points on two separate occasions. First, a pair of KJ Byers free throws made it 56-54 with 7:12 left, then two more from Byers at the charity stripe made the score 58-56 with 6:09 to play. A nifty floater by Roberts with 1:49 on the clock pulled the Beach to within three at 68-65, but the Beach wouldn't score again as the Trojans were able to hang on for the victory.

Long Beach State remains on the road in its next contest, heading south to face San Diego on Saturday night at 7 p.m.