Men's Basketball Back In Action Sunday At USC

Sunday, December 15

Los Angeles, Calif.

3:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

USC

Photo by: John Fajardo

12/11/2019 12:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - USC

The Beach will face the Trojans for a second straight season.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State will return to the road for one game in the midst of a non-conference homestand, heading up the 110 to face USC on Sunday. The game will tip at 3:30 and be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.

Game:........................................... Long Beach State at USC
Date:......................................... Sunday, December 15, 2019
Time:....................................................................... 3:30 p.m.
Location:................................................. Los Angeles, Calif.
Arena:................................................ Galen Center (10,258)
TV:............................................................. Pac-12 Networks
TV Talent:........................ Ted Robinson, Tammy Blackburn
Radio:.................................... 22 West Radio, HD FM 88.1-3
Radio Talent:.............................................. Jason Schwartz
Webcast:.................................................... Pac-12.com/Live
Live Stats:.................................................... usctrojans.com

RIGHT AWAY
• Long Beach State and USC played last season, resuming the series on the road in the Galen Center. The Beach won the last meeting between the teams in the Walter Pyramid, as Mike Caffey scored 22 points including the game-winner in a 72-71 victory. USC has had a big edge at home, winning six straight with the last win for LBSU coming during the 1986-87 season.

• USC will be the fourth Pac-12 opponent of the season for Long Beach State. The Beach has played four games against Pac-12 opposition in each of the last three seasons under Dan Monson.

• Participating in the Wooden Legacy over Thanksgiving weekend, the Beach opened with a win over Providence which marked the 12th win over a Power 6 program for Long Beach State under Dan Monson. It was also the second straight victory over a Big East opponent as LBSU was previously winners in 2015 over Seton Hall at the Charleston Classic.

• Long Beach State will be "playing the kids" this season, as the Beach turns to nine newcomers to the program in three transfers and six incoming freshman. Additionally, three redshirts also return to the program, giving the Beach just four returning letterwinners entering the season to go with 12 players returning for their first full year. The Beach has turned to that group, with all but 3 of 30 available starts going to first-year players in 2019-20.

• Long Beach State has turned over nearly the entire roster in 2018-19.The Beach returns just 15.2 points per game from last season, a total of 20.2%, the lowest since Dan Monson's first year with the program with the team returned 5.9 points per game, just 7.2 percent of the total coming back from the 2006-07 season. That rates as among the lowest points returning in the nation; fifth lowest as total points and sixth lowest in total percentage.

• With 11 players making their debut this season for Long Beach State, that also ranks among the most in the nation. Only TCU (13), Nebraska (12), East Carolina (12) and Utah (12) will have more in 2019-20.

PLAYER NOTES
• Sophomore Chance Hunter has wasted no time getting adjusted to life at the Beach. A transfer from Cerritos College, Hunter scored 19 points on the road at UCLA before leading the team with 21 points against San Diego to go with a team-high nine rebounds. Hunter leads the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game, and is second on the team in rebounding at 4.3 boards per game while scoring 20 or more points on three occasions.

• Michael Carter III has started every game at the point this year for Long Beach State and has been a key player for the Beach. A Division I transfer from Washington, Carter III leads the team in assists at 3.5 per game and is second on the team in scoring at 13.3 points per game.

• Junior Colin Slater has been in the starting lineup for the Beach in every game this season. A transfer from Tulane, Slater played in 60 games with the Green Wave before joining the Beach as a redshirt last season. Scoring a career-high 20 points against Pacific, Slater also added 19 against San Diego and is third on the team in scoring a 9.0 points per game while also leading the team in steals.

• Freshman Joshua Morgan has been a bright spot among the young players this season. Making a block in nine of the team's ten games, Morgan has started since the home opener and is averaging 9.0 points per game on incredible 74.5% shooting and is leading the team in rebounds at 5.6 per game while making 19 blocks, best in the Big West.

• Both freshman bigs have been starting together as Romelle Mansel has been in the five since the Stanford game. Averaging 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, the 6-9 Mansel has been a strong complement to Morgan inside, and has been active defensively with 12 steals.

• LBSU's lone senior, Jordan Griffin is a dangerous outside shooter who is closing in on a career milestone. With 93 career 3-pointers, Griffin is seven away becoming the 16th player in school history to make 100 3-pointers. Griffin is averaging 4.5 points per game and shooting 47.4 percent from three.

• LBSU returns one other junior in Drew Cobb. Earning a scholarship as a defensive stopper, Cobb started 17 of the final 19 games of the season a year ago, and generally drew the job of guarding the opposing team's best perimeter player. This year, coming off of the bench, Cobb is averaging 5.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

• Max De Geest has been another freshman who has made an impact. A strong outside shooter from New Zealand, the freshman guard is averaging 3.4 points per game and is shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc, making seven 3-pointers so far in 2019-20.

• Long Beach State's first 7-footer since Mike Vantrimpont in the 2011-12 season, Trever Irish is also looking to make a statement after returning from injury. Despite missing most of the 2018-19 campaign, Irish was a star at Central Arizona College, averaging 14.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a true freshman in 2017-18. While still rounding into game shape, Irish has contributed with 2.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

• Jordan Roberts is one of four returners for Long Beach State. A 6-9 junior, Roberts averaged 8.4 points per game in Big West play last season, and scored over 15 points in five of the team's last eight games a year ago, including a career-high on the road at UC Davis.

• Breyon Jackson is back with the program after receiving a medical waiver following the 2018-19 campaign. Jackson played in the first eight games of the season, including scoring four points in a season-high 17 minutes against Mississippi State. Ultimately, Jackson was sidelined at the start of December, and did not return last year after transfering from Cloud County CC.