Beach Basketball Continues Tournament Run Against UC Santa Barbara

Thursday, March 11

Las Vegas, Nev.

11 a.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Santa Barbara

Photo by: John Fajardo

Beach Basketball Continues Tournament Run Against UC Santa Barbara

3/10/2021 11:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - UCSB (BWT)

Long Beach State looking for the second of four wins needed to go to the NCAA Tournament.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LAS VEGAS -- Long Beach State's tournament run continues Thursday, when the Beach take on the regular season champions UC Santa Barbara at 11 a.m. on ESPN3. The tournament is moving venues, and will be held in the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandelay Bay in Las Vegas, Nev.

Game:.................... Long Beach State vs. UC Santa Barbara
Date:............................................................. March 11, 2021
Time:.......................................................................... 11 a.m.
Location:..................................................... Las Vegas, Nev.
Arena:.................................... Michelob Ultra Arena (12,000)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN3
TV Talent:................................. Trent Rush, Richie Schueler
Radio:.................................... 22 West Radio, HD FM 88.1-3
Radio Talent:.............................................. Jason Schwartz
Webcast:.................................................. ESPN.com/Watch
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• For the second game in a row, it will be the first meeting between the teams as Long Beach State was the only conference team that UC Santa Barbara did not face during the regular season.

• The Beach opened the tournament with a dominant performance, setting an LBSU tournament record with 48 rebounds in an 85-63 win over CSUN. Freshman Jadon Jones put up a double-double with 19 points and 11 boards to lead the Beach.

• Long Beach State and UCSB have a rich Big West Tournament history. The teams met in the championship game three seasons in a row, with Long Beach State finally besting the Gauchos in the 2012 tournament, marking both the last time the teams played in the tournament as well as
Long Beach State's last NCAA Tournament apperance.

• Long Beach State is aiming for its sixth Big West Tournament championship and its 10th NCAA Tournament apperance with four wins in Las Vegas.

• The Beach had two players recognized as All-Conference, as Chance Hunter and Isaiah Washington were both received Honorable Mention. Hunter's selection was the second season in a row for the junior.

• The Beach has been one of the conference's most affected teams by the COVID-19 pandemic. Long Beach State has lost 10 scheduled games over the course of three seperate pauses in 2021.

LONG BEACH STATE
• Long Beach State has officially changed the nickname for all sports other than baseball to Beach with the NCAA. Please do not refer to LBSU basketball as the 49ers.

PLAYER NOTES
• Throughout 2020-21, Long Beach State has had wildly shifting availability among players. Early in the season, the Beach was down to nine active players, and while now 14 players have featured for the Beach this season, just three, Joe Hampton, Trever Irish and Jadon Jones have played in all 17 games this season for LBSU.

• Senior transfer Isaiah Washington has been a steadying presence for the Beach despite coming just this season after transferring in from Iona. An honorable mention All-Big West selection. Washington leads Long Beach State at 13.7 points per game and also is averaging 4.4 assists per game to lead the squad. Starting in 15 games, Washington has also played a team and conference high 34.6 minutes per game. His 922 points and 332 assists over his four DI seasons are the highest among all of Long Beach State's current roster.

• Junior College transfer Joe Hampton has rapidly become a key figure for Long Beach State, finishing a long journey to come to the Beach. Initially signed by Penn State, Hampton caught the eye of the LBSU coaching staff but spent a season at Pasadena City College and East LA College before enrolling at Long Beach State. Hampton is third on the team in scoring at 10.8 points per game, and has started a team-high 16 games.

• Junior Chance Hunter was one of six players chosen by the media for the Preseason All-Big West team. A two-time Honorable All-Big West selection, Hunter is averaging 12.0 points per game while leading the team at 5.9 rebounds per game. Hunter has scored in double-figures eight times this season, and has recorded two double-doubles, most recently against UC Irvine with 15 points and 13 rebounds. He also scored 23 points with nine rebounds and four steals, a team season-high in the Hawai'i opener.

• LBSU's injury woes have given an opportunity to freshman Jadon Jones, who has started 12 games for the Beach. A local product who attended St. Anthony High School, Jones has impressed in his first season. Scoring a career-high 20 points at UC Davis Feb. 13, Jones is averaging 7.9 points per game and shooting 40.3 percent from three on the year. He played a key role in Long Beach State's first-round victory with 19 points and 11 rebounds, his first double-double.

• Romelle Mansel put up career highs in rebounding to start the season, starting with nine at LMU before bringing in 10 rebounds against Seattle. Averaging 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, Mansel missed the start of conference play due to injury and returned to action against UC Davis, and had his best game since that injury against UC Irvine, scoring 11 points with 9 rebounds to close the regular season.

• Trever Irish has now scored in double-figures multiple times and is now averaging 4.8 points per game and has season highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds, both coming in league play. Those breakthroughs signal a full recovery from significant injuries that slowed his return to form last season. Irish is Long Beach State's first seven-footer since Mike Vantrimpont in the 2011-12 season.

• Colin Slater returned to the team in the spring semester after opting out for the fall, and has made an immediate impact. A starter in 2019-20, Slater has come off the bench but is averaging 7.5 points in 20 minutes of action during 2021.

• Along with Slater, the other two captains from 2019-20 in Jordan Roberts and Drew Cobb returned in the spring. Roberts coming off of an injury returned and made his first start in the Big West Tournament, while Cobb scored 8 points with 8 rebounds in his first full game against UC Davis, but was injured and lost for the season in the second game of the series against the Aggies.

• RJ Rhoden is the first of a trio of redshirt freshmen guards who have debuted for LBSU this season. Rhoden has twice scored in double-figures in league play, and is averaging 3.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Beach. Rhoden made his first start of the season in the regular-season finale against UC Irvine.

• Redshirt freshman Shaden Knight drew a critical foul and sank two free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining against CSU Bakersfield to send the game to overtime in LBSU's win over the Runners. Knight was among the team leaders in assists, and was shooting 50.0 percent from three this season but will miss the rest of the season due to injury.