Beach Basketball Readies For New Opener At LMU Friday

Friday, December 4

Los Angeles, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Loyola Marymount

Photo by: John Fajardo

12/3/2020 2:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - LMU

Long Beach State will then host Seattle in the Walter Pyramid on Sunday.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Following the postponement of Monday's game at UCLA, Long Beach State will now open up the 2020-21 still on the road in Los Angeles, but now at Gersten Pavilion against Loyola Marymount. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. between the teams.

Game:..................... Long Beach State at Loyola Marymount
Date:............................................. Friday, December 4, 2020
Time:............................................................................ 6 p.m.
Location:................................................. Los Angeles, Calif.
Arena:............................................. Gersten Pavilion (4,156)
TV:................................................................................... N/A
TV Talent:........................................................................ N/A
Radio:.............................................................................. N/A
Radio Talent:.................................................................. N/A
Webcast:........................................................ WCC Network
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• The series resumes after a short hiatus, as the programs will meet for the first time since 2013, when the Lions stole a one-point win on the road in the Walter Pyramid. The Beach won the previous year in Gersten Pavilion, and Long Beach State will look to extend that road winning streak against the Lions Friday.

• Despite the gap in games, the Beach has had ties with the program in recent years. Coaches Myke Scholl and Senque Carey both spent time with the program, and former players Gabe Levin and Evan Payne both played at LMU before transfering to represent the Beach.

• Junior Chance Hunter was one of six players chosen by the media for the Preseason All-Big West team. An Honorable Mention All-Big West selection a year ago, Hunter averaged 13.9 points per game, leading LBSU and is the top returner in rebounding as well after averaging 5.0 rebounds per game.

• Long Beach State's second-leading scorer from 2019-20 also returns in junior Michael Carter III. The guard averaged 12. 4 points per game last season, and led Long Beach State in free throws made with 121 and assists with 82 on the season.

COVID-19 NEWS AND NOTES
• Long Beach State's originally scheduled opener at UCLA was postponed out of an abundance of caution regarding COVID-19 protocol between the teams. Both schools have relayed in their statements the desire to reschedule the contest prior to the end of 2020.

• With the start of the season pushed due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with Monday's postponement, the Dec. 4 start date for the 2020-21 season is the latest in the year in 28 years, and the first to start in December since 1992-93. Under Seth Greenberg, that team had a memorable season, upsetting then No. 1 Kansas on the road on the way to making the program's sixth NCAA Tournament appearance, the first since 1976-77.

• Long Beach State will be without the services of three returners to start the 2020-21 campaign. New Zealand native Max De Geest is still in his home country after returning following the initial outbreak, and seniors Colin Slater and Drew Cobb have both chosen to "Opt Out" of the current season due to the pandemic as offered by the NCAA with the support of LBSU Athletics.

• The pandemic caused multiple changes to the Long Beach State schedule, and the team will remain within the state of California for almost the entirety of the 2020-21 slate, only traveling to conference opponent Hawai'i in February.

PLAYER NOTES
• In addition to Hunter and Carter III Long Beach State returns one other starter in sophomore Romelle Mansel. The forward started in 23 games as a true freshman, and averaged 4.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while finishing third on the team in steals and blocks on the season.

• Senior Jordan Roberts is Long Beach State's active leader in most career categories. Playing in 97 games over his first three seasons, Roberts was second on the team in blocks a year ago and averaged 5.1 points per game. The senior has missed just two games over the last three seasons, and has scored in double-figures 19 times, including a career-high 19 at UC Davis.

• Another frontcourt returner that is looking to make a leap is seven-footer Trever Irish. Irish averaged 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in his first season at the Beach last year, but was coming off of a season-ending injury the year prior. Irish averaged 14.3 points and 8,8 rebounds as a freshman at Central Arizona College, and hopes to return to that form in 2020-21. He is Long Beach State's first seven-footer since Mike Vantrimpont in the 2011-12 season.

• Long Beach State's final returner is Jeffrey Yan. Yan made his debut for the Beach in 2019-20, and played in 12 games, scoring seven points as a frontcourt option off of the bench.

• The Beach will have a trio of redshirt guards who will look to make an impact in 2020-21. Justin Rene is the first Long Beach Poly product to stay in the city since Roschon Prince. The Moore League Player of the Year, Rene is also the first Moore League freshman to join the squad since Javonntie Jackson in 2017-18. Shaden Knight is a quick guard from Rancho Cucamonga who will provide depth at the point guard position, while RJ Rhoden comes to the West Coast from Daytona Beach, Fla., where he averaged over 16 points per game at Mainland High School.

• Two Divsion I transfers have joined Long Beach State and received eligibility waivers to play immediately in the coming season in Isaiah Washington and Raymond Hawkins III.

• Isaiah Washington is making his third collegiate stop at the Beach. Washington played for two seasons at Minnesota before transfering to Iona for his junior season in 2019-20, where he averaged 11.4 points and 4.0 assists per game, including recording a triple double. His 716 points and 266 assists over three Division I seasons are the highest among all of Long Beach State's current roster.

• Raymond Hawkins III comes to the Beach from Alabama, where he played in six games as a freshman. A highly-rated recruit, Hawkins III was the No. 3 recruit in Nevada following a season at Findlay Prep, where he averaged 14.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

• Junior College transfer Joe Hampton has finished his long journey and will debut for the Beach in 2020-21. Initially signed by Penn State, Hampton caught the eye of the LBSU coaching staff but spent a season at Pasadena City College and East LA College before enrolling at Long Beach State. The forward averaged 11.4 points and 5.9 rebounds a game last year and will make his Divsion I debut this season.

• Forward Teddy Ochieng is another junior college trasnfer. Initially recruited by CSUN where he played in four games before a season-ending injury, Ochieng moved on to Panola CC where he averaged double-figures before returning to Division I.

• Long Beach State added one freshman in 2020-21, welcoming in local product Jadon Jones. Star of one of the best teams in St. Anthony HS history, Jones averaged 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists with the Saints and will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact at the Beach.

THIS AND THAT
• Long Beach State continues to have an outstanding record in the Walter Pyramid. In the past 11 years, the Beach has piled up a 106-31 record at home, winning nearly 80% of their games in the iconic building. Per Ken Pomeroy, Long Beach State also sports the largest home court advantage in the Big West.

• Head Coach Dan Monson is the winningest coach at Long Beach State, with more victories than basketball luminaries such as Jerry Tarkanian, Tex Winter, and Seth Greenberg who have also coached at the Beach. Monson is the conference's active coaching leader in wins and will move past Jerry Pimm with 12 more victories. The Beach now has over 1,000 wins in program history, with Monson having won over 200 of those games.

• Entering the 2020-21 season, Long Beach State is in a unique club of programs that have a winning record against every member of their conference. The Beach is one of just 15 programs with that distinction, joining schools such as Kansas, Cincinnati, North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA. One former member of the conference is also on that list in New Mexico State of the WAC.

• Long Beach State announced the commitments of two players for the 2020-21 season. AJ George is a two-sport athlete from Fresno, Calif., and the 6-6 wing will add a toughness and versatility to the program. The Beach also added a point guard in Corey Yerger from Sacramento, Calif. Averaging 20 points per game for Grant High School, Yerger is a high-upside point guard who has the chance to follow in the footsteps of other All-Big West point guards who came to the Beach as freshmen like Casper Ware and Mike Caffey.