California Baptist Pulls Away In Second Half During Long Beach State’s Return To Competition

Saturday, January 23

Riverside, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

3-5,2-2Big West

California Baptist

7-4,2-2WAC

Long Beach St.

California Baptist

Photo by: John Fajardo

California Baptist Pulls Away In Second Half During Long Beach State’s Return To Competition

1/23/2021 10:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Strong start for Long Beach State soured in 96-75 road defeat.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Long Beach State returned to competition following a two-week layoff and welcomed back three seniors for their first competition in 2020-21, but incredible second-half shooting and a career night from California Baptist center Gorjok Gak overshadowed the reunions in a 96-75 defeat on the road in Riverside.

                After a brief pause that scrubbed the last two scheduled games for Long Beach State (3-5), the Beach returned to team activities and were able to reschedule a previously canceled game against California Baptist (7-4) for Saturday night. The Beach also got a lift from three seniors who returned for Long Beach State, as Jordan Roberts returned from an extended injury suffered in the preseason and Colin Slater and Drew Cobb re-joined the cohort for the spring semester after opting out for the fall.

                In the early going, it looked like it would be the Beach that got a lift, as LBSU started strong, opening up a seven-point lead in the first five minutes after a Michael Carter III 3-pointer. CBU would eventually take its first lead at 25-24 with 7:10 remaining in the first half, and despite a 9-0 run to close the first led by only two points at 42-40 after the first 20.

                The Lancers, who shot 6-for-13 from three in the first half were even better in the second, immediately continuing their momentum from the first half run. CBU shot 14-for-19 in the second half and were 5-of-7 from behind the arc, shooting over 70% from both.

                CBU started the half on a 15-3 run, and much of that damage was done by Gak who finished with 26 points and 16 rebounds.

                Long Beach State would bounce back, cutting a 14-point lead back down to four at 61-57 after an Isaiah Washington 3-pointer following some increased pressure from the Beach defense, but in a tightly officiated contest, CBU would have the edge at the line to help withstand the swing in momentum.

                The Lancers ultimately shot 21-for-26 from the charity stripe in the second half to stymie additional comeback efforts, and the Beach would miss Joe Hampton and Michael Cater III who both fouled out prior to the final four minutes.

                Carter III still finished as the team's leading scorer with 16 points, while Isaiah Washington added 14 points with five assists. Jordan Roberts scored six points with three rebounds in his return to action for the Beach, playing 28 minutes.

                Long Beach State will return to both the Walter Pyramid and Big West competition next weekend, hosting UC San Diego as the Tritons make their first visit to Long Beach as members of the conference. The teams will play back-to-back games on January 29 at 30, both broadcast live on ESPN3.