Wild Comeback Gets Undone As Long Beach State Falls 77-76 At UC Davis

Saturday, February 29

Davis, Calif.

5 p.m.

Long Beach State University

10-20,5-9Big West

UC Davis

14-16,8-6Big West

Long Beach St.

UC Davis

Photo by: John Fajardo

Wild Comeback Gets Undone As Long Beach State Falls 77-76 At UC Davis

2/29/2020 8:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - UC Davis

Chance Hunter continues to feast against UC Davis, scoring 25 points Saturday after setting his career-high against the Aggies earlier this season.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

DAVIS, Calif. – Down 14 with just over six minutes remaining, a combination of full court pressure and clutch shooting allowed Long Beach State to come all the way back and take a 75-73 lead with just over a minute left, but a late foul and a big three from Stefan Gonzalez helped UC Davis escape with a 77-76 win Saturday evening.

                Long Beach State (10-20, 5-9 Big West) did most of their damage on a 15-2 run in the closing minutes, but had a final 6-0 push that put the Beach on top 73-71 on a fast-break basket from Jordan Roberts. After both teams traded baskets though to keep the Beach on top by two, Gonzalez hit a final three, his fifth of the game to put the Aggies on top 76-75.

                On the following possession, Chance Hunter was fouled but only made one of two free throws to leave the game tied, and then a foul called on Long Beach State with 1.1 second remaining send Kennedy Koehler to the line, where he made the first and missed the second on purpose to leave the Beach out in the cold on the road.

                UC Davis (14-16, 8-6 Big West) had a big night from the perimeter. Led by Gonzalez' five 3-pointers, the Aggies shot 13-of-27 from beyond the arc, just under 50 percent which helped offset a big edge inside for Long Beach State. The Beach doubled UC Davis in points in the paint, 40-20, and out-rebounded the Aggies by eight but UC Davis ultimately had just enough for the win.

                Hunter scored 25 points to lead Long Beach State, sharing in the rebounding lead with Joshua Morgan who scored 14 points with 8 rebounds. Michael Carter III was the third player for the Beach in double-figures with 13 points.

                With LBSU down one at 12-11 after the first seven minutes, UC Davis was able to push out the lead with three straight 3-pointers made, two coming from Gonzalez to put the lead to double-figures. The Beach was able to pull back within two at 24-22, but a three from Elijah Papper stopped the run, a theme throughout the evening.

                Down seven at halftime, Long Beach State twice cut the Aggie lead to one in the first ten minutes of the second half, the last coming at 45-44, but UC Davis would answer with an 11-0 run, and would grow their lead to its largest at 14 on three occasions before the Beach made their late rally.

                Long Beach State will play one more home game on Thursday, hosting Cal Poly at 7 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid. The Beach will be recognizing their lone senior, Jordan Griffin, as part of the day's festivities in a game that will be broadcast live on ESPN3.