Beach Grateful For Comebacks In 66-65 Thriller Over Providence

Thursday, November 28

Anaheim, Calif.

11 a.m.

Long Beach State University

3-4,0-0Big West

Providence

4-3,0-0Big East

Providence

Long Beach St.

Beach Grateful For Comebacks In 66-65 Thriller Over Providence

11/28/2019 2:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - Providence

Long Beach State held Providence without a field goal for the final seven minutes of the game.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

ANAHEIM, Calif. – It took until the closing seconds, but Long Beach State never gave up on Thanksgiving, closing down a 17-point deficit to Providence to rally and defeat the Friars 66-65 in the opening round of the Paycom Wooden Legacy.

Michael Carter III was outstanding for Long Beach State (3-4), finishing with 23 points, three steals and three assists and was clutch down the stretch. With less than a minute remaining, Carter III hit a leaning 3-pointer that banked off the glass to cut the Providence lead to one.

Trailing by two at 65-63, Carter III had the ball in his hands in the final seconds and was fouled on the game-winning 3-point attempt. The sophomore coolly sunk all three free throws to cap off his 23 points, and then David Duke's buzzer-beating attempt was off-line as Long Beach State picked up a signature win over Providence (4-3).

It was the second win in two opportunities against Big East opposition for the Beach after a 2015 victory over Seton Hall, and the 12th win over a Power 6 opponent under Dan Monson.

"I was really proud that we got down 17, and chained back up as we like to call it, and got back into the game," said Monson. "To see that get rewarded with a win will hopefully go a long way with a young team like ours."

Here on Thanksgiving ?? we're thankful to be a part of a great team at @LBSUhoops and appreciative of this Player of the Game performance from @Mcarter_14! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/l3g2XoZfaZ — LBSU Mens Basketball (@LBSUhoops) November 28, 2019

Carter III got the Beach started with a quick basket, and Long Beach State went up 4-0 early, but a pair of 3-pointers for Providence sparked a 12-0 run that put LBSU in an early hole.

Trailing by nine at the half, 37-28, Providence started the half on a 7-2 run that forced the Beach into an early timeout, and on the next possession Providence got a 3-pointer from Luwane Pipkins, the Friars' leading scorer, to extend the advantage to 17 points with 17:28 to play.

Carter III was able to pick up a steal for a fast-break bucket to answer and the Beach refused to give in, slowly chipping away at the Providence lead. Turning defensive, Long Beach State was able to cut the lead to single-digits on a Drew Cobb fast break with 13:47 to play, and pulled even closer on a Chance Hunter basket to make the score 50-45.

Providence would punch back one more time, a quick 7-0 run that once again required sustained work from the Beach to chip away at. LBSU did just that, however, grinding down the Friars defensively and pulling back into the contest. The Friars would have just one more field goal in the contest, and Cobb, Carter III, Hunter and Joshua Morgan went to work to cut the lead back down to four entering the final minute.

The 23 points from Carter III were both a game and career-high, and Morgan was one rebound shy of a double-double with a career-high 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Cobb played over 30 minutes off of the bench, scoring eight points and leading the team with five assists and five rebounds, while Hunter scored 14 before fouling out in the closing minutes.

The Wooden Legacy continues for Long Beach State on Friday, when the Beach will face the winner of Wake Forest and College of Charleston at approximately 11 a.m. on ESPN2.