Beach Stifles UCSB In 55-52 Road Win

Saturday, January 11

Santa Barbara, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

6-12,1-1Big West

UC Santa Barbara

12-5,1-1Big West

Long Beach St.

UC Santa Barbara

Photo by: John Fajardo

1/11/2020 9:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - UCSB

Chance Hunter led three in double-figures for Long Beach State.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – One game after surrendering 95 points, it was a complete bounceback performance for Long Beach State on the defensive end, holding UC Santa Barbara to just 32 percent shooting and 52 points on the road in a 55-52 win to even the conference record for the Beach.

                Long Beach State (6-12, 1-1 Big West) held the Gauchos scoreless over the final four minutes and 39 seconds of the contest in the Thunderdome, sealing an incredible defensive performance that featured just two field goals for UC Santa Barbara (12-5, 1-1 Big West) in the final ten minutes of the second half in an old-school grinder between the long-time conference rivals.

                Chance Hunter, who scored a game-high 16 points, hit a critical three to give Long Beach State their first lead of the contest at 52-50 with five minutes remaining. Max Heidegger, the senior preseason All-Big West pick for the Gauchos made his return for UCSB Saturday and tied the game on the next possession.

                That would be the last basket of the game for the Gauchos, as Long Beach State's defense held the rest of the way. Hunter picked up a critical block, and then a breakaway steal and dunk from Michael Carter III put the Beach on top 54-52 as the clock dipped under two minutes.

                Carter III had another winning play in the closing seconds, taking a charge with 17 seconds left, and Jordan Roberts hit a free throw to put the Beach up three before a final shot from Heidegger fell off target for the Gauchos.

                UC Santa Barbara led for most of the contest, opening the game on an 11-4 run, but the Beach would never let the lead grow larger than that for the entirety of the first half. A Matt Freeman 3-pointer increased a five-point halftime lead to eight at 33-25, but Long Beach State would answer with a 9-2 run finished by a Romelle Mansel post basket to cut the lead to one, and the battle was on, with neither team leading by more than six the rest of the way.

                Carter III and Joshua Morgan both joined Hunter in double-figures, with Morgan adding a team-high seven rebounds and two blocks while playing over 30 minutes for the Beach. Carter III added six assists, and as a team the Beach had 13 assists on 25 made field goals, an efficient team game.

                Defensively, the Beach held UCSB to just 32 percent shooting on the night and 23.1 percent shooting in the second half, though the Gauchos had a big edge at the free throw line to help keep the home side in it. Long Beach State has now won five straight games on the road in Santa Barbara.

                Long Beach State will return to the friendly confines of the Walter Pyramid, hosting UC Davis in the home conference opener on Thursday, January 16.