Basketball Returns To Walter Pyramid As Beach Hosts Seattle Sunday

Sunday, December 6

Long Beach, Calif.

2 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Seattle University

Basketball Returns To Walter Pyramid As Beach Hosts Seattle Sunday

12/5/2020 12:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - Seattle

The Beach will play at home for the first time since March 5

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State will make its long-awaited return to the Walter Pyramid on Sunday, hosting Seattle U at 2 p.m. While fans will not be allowed in the venue, LB Nation can follow the game via Beach Vision at www.longbeachstate.com.

Game:...................................... Long Beach State vs. Seattle
Date:........................................... Sunday, December 6, 2020
Time:............................................................................ 2 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
• Seattle won the first game in the series last year in Washington. Sunday marks the first time the teams have played in Long Beach.

• 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, averaging 12.4 points per game while leading the team in assists.

• 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. He scored 13 points at LMU despite being limited to 23 minutes with foul trouble.

• 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 733 points and 269 assists over his four DI seasons are the highest among all of Long Beach State's current roster.

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 a commitment 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 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.

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. In the opening game at LMU Mansel set a career high with nine rebounds, adding five points.

• 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. Hampton scored five points with four rebounds in his Division I debut, but was limited with foul trouble at LMU.

• 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.

• 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.