Homestand Continues Thursday For Men's Basketball Against UC Santa Barbara

Thursday, January 13

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Santa Barbara

Photo by: John Fajardo

Homestand Continues Thursday For Men's Basketball Against UC Santa Barbara

1/12/2022 10:05:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - UCSB

The most-played series in the school's history resumes Thursday night.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State's conference homestand continues on Thursday as the Beach hosts UC Santa Barbara inside the Walter Pyramid. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., with live coverage on ESPN+.

Game:.................... Long Beach State vs. UC Santa Barbara
Date:......................................... Thursday, January 13, 2022
Time:....................................................................... 7:00 p.m.
Location:.................................................. Long Beach, Calif.
Arena:............................................... Walter Pyramid (4,200)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN+
TV Talent:................................ Jason Schwartz, Dave Miller
Webcast:.................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:............................................................. 22 West Radio
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• The final game of the season was the only game the two teams played last season in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament. UCSB escaped in a thrilling 95-87 contest and went on to win the championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament. Colin Slater led five players in double-figures for the Beach with 20 points and Jadon Jones scored 18 on the way to being named all-tournament.

• After 23 games off, Long Beach State finally returned to action last Wednesday, hosting Westcliff in the Walter Pyramid for a 90-64 victory. Colin Slater led the Beach with 23 points in the win. The stretch without games was longer than even the longest stretch for the team in 2020-21, as LBSU had six consecutive games canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.

• Thursday night's marked a unique rematch with UCLA. It marked just the first time since the 1992-93 season that the Beach played the same ranked opponent in the same year, when the Beach faced UNLV three times. Additionally, it was the first time since the 1982-83 season that UCLA faced the same non-conference opponent in one season. That is in contrast to the contest one season ago, which was scheduled, rescheduled and canceled on multiple occasions.

• Jadon Jones led the way for Long Beach State against UCLA in the rematch, as the freshman had a career-high 27 points, hitting three 3-pointers and going 10-for-11 from the line. The No. 5 Bruins were able to hold off the Beach however in a 96-78 win in Pauley Pavilion.

PLAYER NOTES
• Joel Murray has had a very strong start to his LBSU career. Currently leading the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game, Murray ranks fourth in the Big West in scoring. 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 10.5 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 13.0 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, having now made 105 in his career between LBSU and Tulane.

• 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 121 games for Long Beach State, passing Michael Wiley for 10th in games played at the Beach. He is also Long Beach State's active career leader in every category other than 3-pointers made, and is averaging 9.3 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 5.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while traditionally guarding the opposing team's top perimeter player. Cobb has started 10 games this season.

• 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 8.2 points per game while second on the team with 21 3-pointers made on 36.2% shooting. Jones set a career-high in scoring in the rematch against No. 5 UCLA, scoring 27 points to lead the Beach.

• Aboubacar Traore has made an immediate impact with the Beach. A true freshman, Traore is averaging 5.7 points and leading the team at 6.7 rebounds per game while making 14 blocks, showcasing his athleticism. He started his collegiate career by scoring 11 points at Idaho, and recorded a double-double against Bethesda. In that game, Troare was just the sixth LBSU player in the 72-year history of the program to grab 20 rebounds, and the first since 1983.

• Romelle Mansel continues to play a key role for Long Beach State. Now having started 30 games in his career, Mansel is averaging 3.2 rebounds per game and is in his third year at the Beach. After missing one game, Mansel returned with a strong game at #16 USC, scoring 10 points off the bench with seven rebounds.

• 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 six 3-pointers while Scott has averaged 9.2 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.