Beach Comes Up Short Against Wake Forest In Wooden Legacy Semifinals

Friday, November 29

Anaheim, Calif.

11 a.m.

Long Beach State University

3-5,0-0Big West

Wake Forest

5-2,0-1ACC

Long Beach St.

Wake Forest

Photo by: Kohjiro Kinno / ESPN Images

Beach Comes Up Short Against Wake Forest In Wooden Legacy Semifinals

11/29/2019 2:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - Wake Forest

Long Beach State finished with 19 assists in the loss.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Long Beach State had a season-high four players finish in double-figures and made 19 assists, but a big advantage on the boards and on the bench by Wake Forest led the Demon Deacons to an 88-75 win in Friday's first semifinal game of the Wooden Legacy.

                Sophomore Michael Carter III and freshman Joshua Morgan both flirted with double-doubles, as Carter III led Long Beach State (3-5) in scoring with 18 points and nine assists, while Morgan scored 10 points with a team-high seven rebounds. Outside of fellow freshman Romelle Mansel, the duo didn't get much help on the glass as Wake Forest (5-2) out-rebounded LBSU by 16 and had 19 offensive rebounds that led to 20 second-chance points, a big edge for the Demon Deacons.

                Long Beach State showed plenty of fight early in what was a close first half. Taking a 10-9 lead on a Chance Hunter fast break, the Beach would eventually lead by four on a few occasions, but the lead would continue to change hands.

                A three from Colin Slater put the Beach in front 27-26, but that would be the last lead for LBSU. Wake Forest jumped out in front and on top by four, Andrien White hit a half-court heave just before the buzzer put Wake on top 38-31.

                Absorbing an early run from Wake Forest, Long Beach State would cut the lead to 46-40, and then went on a 5-0 run capped by a Slater runner in the lane to pull to 50-45 with 13:56 to play.

                A three-point play from Chaundee Brown brought the lead to double-digits once more at 55-45, and Long Beach State would be unable to significantly cut into the lead from there, as the Demon Deacons were helped in large part by a great night from the free throw line, shooting 24-of-25 from the charity stripe.

                In addition to Carter III and Morgan, Hunter finished with 17 points and Slater added 16 with three steals to lead the Beach.

                Long Beach State will play one final game in the Wooden Legacy, getting either a rematch with Arizona or a first-time meeting with Penn on Sunday. Time and television network will be determined in the upcoming days by ESPN.