Beach Men’s Basketball Welcomes Fans Back To The Walter Pyramid With 82-65 Exhibition Win Over Biola

Friday, November 5

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

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Biola

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Biola

Long Beach St.

Photo by: John Fajardo

Beach Men’s Basketball Welcomes Fans Back To The Walter Pyramid With 82-65 Exhibition Win Over Biola

11/5/2021 9:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Colin Slater led four players in double-figures for Long Beach State with 17 points.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. – It was a happy night to open up the 2021-22 season in the Walter Pyramid, as the Beach welcomed fans back for the first time in 18 months for Men's Basketball in a comfortable exhibition win for Long Beach State 82-65 over Biola.

The Beach led wire-to-wire as the veteran starting group of the four seniors and junior Joel Murray kicked off the game with a 7-0 run. A strong defensive presence to start the game helped the Beach open up a 19-point edge over the first 10 minutes at 27-8.

A Jadon Jones 3-pointer would push the edge to 24 points, and a huge slam dunk from freshman Aboubacar Traore was the exclamation point to a dominant first half as Long Beach State led 47-27.

Welcome back to the Beach!! Aboubacar Traore throwing it down as the Beach closes the half on top 47-27. Slater leading the way with 12 points in the opening half. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/LNZ5PwVwJ3
— LBSU Mens Basketball (@LBSUhoops) November 6, 2021

Biola would recover after the break, chipping away at the Long Beach State lead and ultimately getting within double-digits at 56-47 after a pair of free throws from Omari Maulana. Joel Murray snapped the run with a layup, and a Colin Slater 3-pointer with just over 10 minutes left continued a 9-0 answer for Long Beach State.

The Beach would end up increasing their lead to 25 in the closing minutes and took home the exhibition win to re-open the Walter Pyramid to basketball fans in the first home game with fans in the stands since March of 2020.

Final media timeout as the Beach pulling away - Jones off of the Yan offensive board pushes the advantage. Beach up 80-58 with 3:01 left in this season opening exhibition. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/veYgBF29Kx
— LBSU Mens Basketball (@LBSUhoops) November 6, 2021

Colin Slater finished 17 points to lead LBSU in scoring on the night, while Joel Murray chipped in 14 in his first points in his first start with Long Beach State. Jadon Jones scored 13 off of the bench and Joe Hampton was one rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and 9 boards.

Long Beach State will open the regular season on the road next Wednesday, November 10 as the Beach travels to Idaho. The Vandals are opening a new venue, the ICCU Arena and Long Beach State will be the first opponent to play there in the season opener for both teams.