Defense Shines As Long Beach State Hands Hawai’i First Home League Loss

Wednesday, February 12

Manoa, Hawaii

9 p.m.

Long Beach State University

8-17,3-6Big West

Hawai'i

14-9,5-4Big West

Long Beach St.

Hawaii

Photo by: John Fajardo

Defense Shines As Long Beach State Hands Hawai’i First Home League Loss

2/13/2020 12:39:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - Hawai'i

Michael Carter III tied the game in the final minute and hit a game-winning free throw in the final seconds of a 50-49 win.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

HONOLULU, Hawaii – It wasn't pretty, but it was effective as Long Beach State dug in defensively and ground out a 50-49 win on the road in Hawai'i. The Beach only had two players in double-figures but held Hawai'i to 33.3 percent shooting and a season-low 49 points in the victory.

                Freshman Joshua Morgan led the team in scoring with 11 points, but his three blocks were notable as it set the center apart as the top shot blocker in a single season at Long Beach State. Morgan now has 60 blocks with multiple games still to play.

Here's the record-setting moment from the freshman! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/z7MOkRx3qX — LBSU Mens Basketball (@LBSUhoops) February 13, 2020

"We knew that we had no chance trying to run with [Hawai'i] and try to outscore them, so we needed to control the tempo and make this an ugly game, and that's what the guys did," said Dan Monson. "They really bought into the game plan and we won that game on the defensive end."

                Michael Carter III carried the load for Long Beach State (9-17, 3-6 Big West) in the final minutes. Hawai'i (14-9, 5-4 Big West) trailed for most of the contest but hit a three to tie the game with 1:58 remaining and then took a 49-47 lead on a pair of free throws from Justin Webster.

                Carter III was able to get into the lane and hit a jumper to tie the game with 47 seconds remaining, and the Beach was able to get a final defensive stop, getting possession back and LBSU turned to Carter III once more, and the sophomore delivered, getting fouled with three seconds remaining.

                Long Beach State trailed early, getting a slow start offensively and falling behind 20-13 after the first 12 minutes, but really set a tone defensively that held for the rest of the game in the final eight minutes of the first half. Holding Hawai'i scoreless for over seven minutes, Long Beach State closed the half on an 11-2 run to take a lead into the locker room.

                The Beach were then able to extend that lead with another solid defensive stretch, holding Hawai'i to just two field goals over the first ten minutes of the second half to take a 35-29 lead.

                The win was the first for Long Beach State on the island since 2016, and dropped the Rainbow Warriors to 13-4 at home on the season and 4-1 at home in Big West play.

                Men's Basketball will get their turn to defend home court when UC Riverside comes to the Walter Pyramid on Saturday, February 15. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.