Men’s Basketball Drops Regular Season Finale At Cal State Fullerton

Saturday, March 7

Fullerton, Calif.

7:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

11-21,6-10Big West

Cal State Fullerton

11-20,6-10Big West

Long Beach St.

Cal St. Fullerton

Photo by: John Fajardo

Men’s Basketball Drops Regular Season Finale At Cal State Fullerton

3/7/2020 11:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - Cal State Fullerton

Michael Carter III led Long Beach State with 21 points, but the Beach fell on the road 75-69.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

FULLERTON, Calif. – Sophomore Michael Carter III scored 21 points off of the bench to lead Long Beach State in a back-and-forth contest on the road at Cal State Fullerton, but the Titans were able to stay in front of the Beach in the end in a 75-69 defeat to end the regular season.

                Cal State Fullerton (11-21, 6-10 Big West) opened up an early lead behind a barrage of 3-pointers, hitting four in the opening minutes to take a 14-5 lead in just over five minutes. Long Beach State (11-21, 6-10 Big West) would bounce back quickly with a monster dunk from Joshua Morgan and threes from Jordan Griffin and Max De Geest, finally cutting the lead to one at 17-16. The Titans would keep the lead through the half, but a pair of Carter free throws evened up the score at 36 to end the first.

                Drew Cobb put the Beach in front for the first time with the opening basket of the second half, and the two teams would trade the lead back and forth over the next five minutes.

                With the Titans leading by five, a critical possession came as Long Beach State was called for two flops within 10 seconds, earning an immediate class B technical which was followed by a class A technical being awarded to Cal State Fullerton.

The free throws pushed the Titan lead to eight, but Long Beach State responded with a stop on the ensuing possession followed by a 7-0 run, cutting the lead to one at 65-64 with 3:33 remaining after a Carter three.

Time would run out on the Beach though, as LBSU couldn't ever break back over the top of the Titans. A Johnny Wang jumper gave the Titans a two-possession lead at 71-66 with 1:37 remaining, and the late LBSU pressure didn't produce turnovers the same way it did at UC Davis as Cal State Fullerton held on for the win.

Carter III was joined in double figures by Romelle Mansel who set a career high with 12 points as well as Griffin, who ended up in double-figures for the second straight game after earning another start with his senior night performance.

                The Black and Blue Rivalry will be renewed in the Big West Tournament, as Long Beach State and UC Irvine will take part in the featured 6 p.m. game in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament, which will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Tickets are available now for the three day event in the Honda Center.