Beach Back Home Saturday Against Utah Valley

Saturday, December 21

Long Beach, Calif.

4 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Utah Valley

Photo by: John Fajardo

12/20/2019 2:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - Utah Valley

Long Beach State Men's Basketball looks to bounce back against the Wolverines.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State will host Utah Valley in the final home game of the 2019 calendar year this Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Game:............................... Long Beach State vs. Utah Valley
Date:...................................... Saturday, December 21, 2019
Time:............................................................................ 4 p.m.
Location:.................................................. Long Beach, Calif.
Arena:............................................... Walter Pyramid (4,200)
TV:................................................................................... N/A
TV Talent:........................................................................ N/A
Radio:.................................... 22 West Radio, HD FM 88.1-3
Radio Talent:.............................................. Jason Schwartz
Webcast:........................................................... Beach Vision
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• Utah Valley and Long Beach State have met just one prior time, playing in the MGM Resorts Main Event where the Wolverines prevailed 87-72 despite 29 points from Deishuan Booker. Saturday's matchup marks the first time the teams will meet outside of a neutral venue.

• Both teams have a new look from last season, as the top three scorers from both programs in that 2018 contest have moved on from the teams.

• Long Beach State has had balanced scoring on the season, with eight different players reaching double-figures on the year with five reaching ten points on multiple occasions, led by leading scorers Chance Hunter, Michael Carter III, Colin Slater and Joshua Morgan

• Freshman Joshua Morgan passed Jordan Roberts as the team's active leader in career blocks in just 11 games, and leads the team with 23 blocks this season, an average of 1.9 per game, best in the Big West.

• 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
• Long Beach State has officially changed the nickname for all sports other than baseball to Beach with the NCAA. Please do not refer to LBSU basketball as the 49ers.

• 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 13.9 points per game, and is second on the team in rebounding at 4.5 boards per game while scoring 20 or more points on three occasions.

• Michael Carter III has played every game this season 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 3.4 per game and is second on the team in scoring at 12.7 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 at 10.5 points per game while also leading the team in minutes played.

• Freshman Joshua Morgan has been a bright spot among the young players this season. Making a block in ten of the team's 12 games, Morgan has started since the home opener and is averaging 8.8 points per game on incredible 69.8% shooting and is leading the team in rebounds at 5.5 per game while making 23 blocks, best in the Big West.

• Both freshman bigs have started regularly together as Romelle Mansel has also made seven starts and is averaging 16.5 minutes per game. Averaging 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, the 6-9 Mansel has been a strong complement to Morgan inside, and has been active defensively with 13 steals.

• LBSU's lone senior, Jordan Griffin is a dangerous outside shooter who is closing in on a career milestone. With 96 career 3-pointers, Griffin is seven away becoming the 16th player in school history to make 100 3-pointers. Griffin is averaging 5.0 points per game and shooting 48.0 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, but has missed the last four games due to injury.

• Max De Geest has been another freshman who has made an impact. A strong outside shooter from New Zealand, the freshman guard is averaging 4.7 points per game and is shooting 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, making 12 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 2.2 points and 2.4 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 transferring from Cloud County CC.