Men's Basketball Returns To Action Against CSU Bakersfield

Friday, January 1

Long Beach, Calif.

4 p.m.

Long Beach State University

CSU Bakersfield

Photo by: John Fajardo

12/31/2020 10:45:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - CSU Bakersfield

The Beach will host the Runners in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Following a two-week pause, Long Beach State will begin Big West play on Friday with their conference opener against CSU Bakersfield. In the adjusted schedule for 2020-21, the teams will play twice in two days at the same location. Tipoff for both Friday and Saturday is scheduled for 4 p.m., and both games will now be broadcast live on ESPN3.

Game:....................... Long Beach State vs. CSU Bakersfield
Date:................................................ Friday, January 1, 2021
Time:............................................................................ 4 p.m.
Location:.................................................. Long Beach, Calif.
Arena:............................................... Walter Pyramid (4,200)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN3
TV Talent:............................ Dave Caldwell, Richie Schueler
Radio:.................................... 22 West Radio, HD FM 88.1-3
Radio Talent:.............................................. Jason Schwartz
Webcast:........................................................... WatchESPN
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• CSU Bakersfield is one of two new programs within the Big West this season, and Friday's game will mark the first time the two programs will have met as conference foes. The programs last met in Bakersfield during Dan Monson's first season at the Beach, part of a home-and-home series within that season.

• 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 is averaging 11.7 points per game while leading the team on the glass with 7.3 rebounds per game. Scoring in double-figures in the first two games of the season, Hunter put up a double-double with 14 points and 13 boards in the win over Seattle.

• Senior Isaiah Washington impressed in his debut with the Beach, scoring 17 points while adding three assists while earning a start. 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 764 points and 278 assists over his four DI seasons are the highest among all of Long Beach State's current roster.

PLAYER NOTES
• Michael Carter III started off the season strong, scoring 19 points on the road at LMU, leading the team in scoring. The junior was a second-leading scorer on the team a season ago, and is currently in the same position in 2020-21, averaging 14.3 points per game.

• 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 has started in both games in 2020-21. In back-to-back games, Mansel put up career highs in rebounding, starting with nine at LMU before bringing in 10 rebounds against Seattle. The sophomore is averaging 4.7 points and 7.0 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 is currently fourth on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per game.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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. Jones had his best game so far against USF, scoring eight points with two rebounds against the Dons.

• 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.

• 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 scored in double-figures 19 times, including a career-high 19 at UC Davis. Roberts is currently injured to start the season.

• Long Beach State is also missing the services of two other frontcourt members in Raymond Hawkins III and Teddy Ochieng due to injury.

• 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.

• Forward Teddy Ochieng is another junior college transfer. 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.

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. While the game was rescheduled, a positive test within the Tier 1 individuals at the Beach forced a two-week pause for Long Beach State.

• With the start of the season pushed due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with the postponement of the UCLA game, 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.