Beach Men's Basketball To Face Second Ranked Opponent On Sunday

Sunday, December 12

Los Angeles, Calif.

2 p.m.

Long Beach State University

USC

Photo by: John Fajardo

Beach Men's Basketball To Face Second Ranked Opponent On Sunday

12/10/2021 10:10:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - USC

Long Beach State ready to face off against No. 16 USC

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State will play their second ranked opponent of the season, traveling up the 110 to take on No. 16 USC on Sunday at 2 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks.

Game:........................................... Long Beach State at USC
Date:......................................... Sunday, December 12, 2021
Time:............................................................................ 2 p.m.
Location:................................................. Los Angeles, Calif.
Arena:................................................ Galen Center (10,258)
TV:............................................................. Pac-12 Networks
TV Talent:........................................ JB Long, Don MacLean
Webcast:................................................... Pac-12 Networks
Radio:........................................................................ AM 790
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• Long Beach State won the last meeting between the teams in the Walter Pyramid back in 2013, and boasts six wins all-time against the Trojans, but USC has won seven straight at home, including an 87-76 win the last time the teams met in 2019. Trojan Joshua Morgan was on the other bench in that game with Long Beach State, ultimately being named the Big West Defensive Player of the Year in that season after setting the LBSU single-season for record for blocks.

• Aboubacar Traore finished with a historic night as Long Beach State dominated the glass and Bethesda in a 102-69 win. Troare was just the sixth LBSU player in the 72-year history of the program to grab 20 rebounds, and the first since 1983 as the Beach piled up 60 rebounds on the night. Traore nabbed his first double-double and is now averaging 5.9 rebounds per game to lead the team.

• The Beach played in two overtime games in its first three contests, falling in the team's home opener against Utah Valley 84-78 after winning 95-89 on the road in Idaho to start the season.

• Participating in the Naples Invitational, Long Beach State bounced back from a slow start over the first two games to pick up an important win over Wright State, 85-76. Per Ken Pomeroy, the opening two games were two of the seven most difficult contests LBSU will face this season, but the Beach then rallied behind a double-double from Joe Hampton (22 points, 10 rebounds) and 21 points from Joel Murray to close out their time in Florida with a win.

PLAYER NOTES
• Joel Murray has had a very strong start to his LBSU career. Currently leading the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game, Murray ranks third in the Big West in scoring and just outside the Top 100 in the nation. He also scored 30 points against No. 2 UCLA, joining an elite list of LBSU scorers who have scored 30 points in the last 15 years. A strong defender as well, Murray was a two-time All-American at West Texas A&M, where he guided the team to the Division II NCAA Championship Game last season as the team's point guard.

• Joe Hampton recorded his first career double-double against Wright State, and is now third on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game while averaging 3.6 boards in his second season at the Beach. A starter throughout last season, Hampton continues to make an impact while serving as a high-profile player due to his association with Netflix's Last Chance U: Basketball showcasing his time at East LA College.

• Colin Slater has had a strong start to the season as well. Now in his sixth year of college basketball, Slater is averaging 12.6 points per game this season after putting up 27 on the road at UCLA, going 10-for-13 from the floor and shooting 5-of-6 from three. He is now the active D1 leader in points scored on the team combined with his time at Tulane, and is leading the team in 3-pointers made on the year.

• Jordan Roberts has been a consistent presence in the Long Beach State lineup over the last five seasons. Since 2017-18, Roberts has played in 117 games for Long Beach State, and will be on track to break the games played record for the Beach. He is also Long Beach State's active career leader in every category other than 3-pointers made, and is averaging 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season.

• A defensive stalwart, Drew Cobb started the first seven games this season for the Beach and is averaging 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while traditionally guarding the opposing team's top perimeter player.

• Three players that chose to come back for an additional season, Drew Cobb, Colin Slater and Jordan Roberts are serving as the team's captains this season.

• Freshman Jadon Jones is a local product made good. Starting 13 games as a true freshman out of St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, Jones earned Big West All-Tournament honors in a breakthrough season, and is now averaging 6.2 points per game while leading the team with 14 3-pointers made on 38.2% shooting.

• Aboubacar Traore has made an immediate impact with the Beach. A true freshman, Traore is averaging 5.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while making eight blocks, showcasing his athleticism. He started his collegiate career by scoring 11 points at Idaho, and recently recorded a double-double against Bethesda.

• Romelle Mansel continues to play a key role for Long Beach State. Now having started 28 games in his career, Mansel is averaging 3.5 rebounds per game and is in his third year at the Beach, but missed the Bethesda game.

• The Beach brought in two Division I transfers in the offseason who are contributing. Eddie Scott from Penn and Tobias Rotegaard from UAB have both played in every game this season, with Rotegaard making three 3-pointers while Scott has averaged 11.0 minutes per game in a defensive role.

• Other available players for the Beach include RJ Rhoden, a versatile wing presence, true freshman point guard AJ Neal in his first season with the program and veteran big man Jeffrey Yan who is in his fourth year at the Beach.

• Trever Irish played in all 18 games last season, one of just three players on the squad to feature in every game. The 7-footer averaged 4.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game a year ago while increasing his minutes to 13.8 per game and making nine starts over the course of the season. The big man missed the Naples Invitational due to injury however and has yet to return.

• Raymond Hawkins III, a DI transfer from Alabama last season injured his knee prior to the campaign and is still rehabbing that injury, while true freshman AJ George has also yet to make his LBSU debut due to a shoulder injury.