Women's Basketball Travels To Loyola Marymount Friday

Friday, December 14

Los Angeles, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Loyola Marymount

Photo by: John Fajardo

12/11/2018 1:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes - Loyola Marymount

The Beach will then return to the Walter Pyramid on Sunday to host Grand Canyon.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Beach has two more games this week, starting with a trip up the 405 to face Loyola Marymount on Friday, December 14 at 7 p.m. The Beach will then play their final home game before Christmas on Sunday, December 16 against Grand Canyon at 4 p.m.

Game:..................... Long Beach State at Loyola Marymount
Date:........................................... Friday, December 14, 2018
Time:............................................................................ 7 p.m.
Location:................................................. Los Angeles, Calif.
Arena:............................................. Gersten Pavilion (4,156)
TV:................................................................................. None
TV Talent:..................................................................... None
Radio:.................................... 22 West Radio, HD FM 88.1-3
Radio Talent:................................................... Jay Holloway
Webcast:.......................................................... lmulions.com
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• Loyola Marymount won the last meeting between the teams last season, and holds a 13-5 edge in the all-time series, but Long Beach State came out the victor in the last meeting in Gersten Pavilion, winning 81-78 in overtime on December 10, 2016.

• The Beach is very young still in 2018-19, with over 80% of available minutes going to freshman and sophomores this season. Only graduate transfer Sydney Bordonaro has played over 100 minutes among upperclassmen, while Long Beach State's top four scorers are all freshmen and sophomores.

• A unanimous preseason All-Big West selection to start the season, sophomore Shanaijah Davison has picked up where she left off after an outstanding freshman season. Long Beach State's leading scorer, averaging 14.4 points per game, Davison has scored over 20 points four times in 2018-19. The sophomore also passed 500 points scored against Montana State in just her 36th game at the Beach.

• Sophomore Naomi Hunt led Long Beach State with 21 points on the road at Utah, her third career 20-point game despite the loss. Hunt is now averaging 10.0 points per game, third on the team, and is among three team leaders in field goal percentage both from the field and from three.

THE PLAYERS
• Long Beach State continues be a dangerous team from behind the arc this season with a number of great shooters on the squad. The Beach is third in the Big West with 6.4 made threes per game, and has three players shooting 30% or better from behind the arc, led by Naomi Hunt who has made 20 threes while shooting 41.7 percent.

• Freshman Justina King came to the Beach fresh off an international appearance with Team Canada at the 2018 FIBA U18 Americas Championship. A Scarborough, Canada native, King has transitioned well into the collegiate game, starting every game so far for Long Beach State and leading the team in assists while averaging 10.6 points per game, including a 29-point performance against Montana State.

• Shanaijah Davison had an incredible game in the opening contest of the season, scoring a career-high 34 points with five rebounds, six assists and three steals, but Long Beach State came up just shy despite that effort in an 85-83 loss to California Baptist. The sophomore also had the first double-double of the season in Long Beach State's win over Idaho, scoring 25 points with a career-high 12 rebounds.

• Freshman Kianna Hamilton-Fisher has continued to play a larger role as the season progresses. She leads the team in steals on the year, and is averaging 6.1 points per game while starting the last four games for the Beach.

• Lauren Green has been an important post presence for the Beach in her first season. Starting five games and playing in each game this season, Green leads the team in rebounding at 4.2 per game, and also leads the team in blocked shots as a freshman.

• Junior Sydney Bordonaro has stepped up to play an important role in her first season at Long Beach State. A graduate transfer from Pepperdine, Bordonaro has been excellent for the Beach off of the bench, averaging 6.1 points per game while shooting 35.7 percent from three.

• Jasmine Hardy and assistant coach Bryan Camacho have ties dating back before this season at Long Beach State, as Camacho was her head coach at Bishop Alemany HS where Hardy starred for four seasons. Hardy's made a quick adjustment to college ball, averaging 7.3 points per game while adding 3.5 rebounds per game and making three starts on the season.

• Long Beach State's lone senior, Martina McCowan, started the first four games of the season, averaging 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds before being sidelined due to injury. The team's other returning upperclassman is junior Aaryon Green, who has started three games this season in the post.

• Long Beach State welcomed back one of their injured players as Bria Rice returned to action, making her LBSU debut against Montana State. Rice sat out last season as a Division I transfer, coming to the Beach from Arizona.

• Cydnee Kinslow as a Division I transfer will be required to sit out the 2018-19 campaign but will be ready to contribute for the Beach in two seasons. The Beach is also awaiting the return of Ma'Qhi Berry, McCowan, and Chloe Gaynor.

THIS AND THAT
• Jeff Cammon returned to the Beach in 2017 after having served as an assistant coach for Long Beach State from 2008-14. He brings a wealth of coaching experience after having spent time at Cal and Colorado before making his return to LBSU.

• A very young squad in 2017-18 reeled off five straight wins to close the regular season and push up to sixth place in the Big West standings in Jeff Cammon's first year at the helm. Long Beach State had lost four starters and eight letterwinners the 2016-17 NCAA Tournament team, and ultimately started three freshman throughout the season.

• Long Beach State is excited to have received a commitment from Christina Thames of Las Vegas, a 6-4 forward who will be joining the program in 2018-19. As a junior, Thames averaged 10 points and 12 rebounds per game at Shadow Ridge High School.

• Long Beach State once again hosted the Beach Classic, and split during their two games as part of the tournament, falling to Northern Iowa before defeating Idaho. Boise State was the Classic champion after winning by one point over the Panthers. Shanaijah Davison was selected for the All-Tournament Team for Long Beach State.

• The Beach Classic is just part of a tremendous home schedule that sees Long Beach State hosting 17 games in the Walter Pyramid this season. In addition to eight great Big West games, The Beach also welcomes a pair of Pac-12 opponents in USC and Arizona, and also plays Nevada and New Mexico from the Mountain West.

• Long Beach State is continuing its partnership with 22 West Media (formerly KBEACH) to provide online and HD radio broadcasts of every single game this season. Jay Holloway and Zachary Anderson-Yoxsimer will share the call throughout the season.