Photo by: John Fajardo
Long Beach State Women’s Hoops Hit the Road at UC Santa Barbara and CSUN
1/12/2022 9:38:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Beach will take on the Gauchos on Thursday and the Matadors on Saturday in a pair of road contests
GAME #11: LONG BEACH STATE at UC SANTA BARBARA
Date: Thursday, January 13
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Santa Barbara, Calif.
Venue: The Thunderdome
Live Stats: UCSBGauchos.com
TV: ESPN+
Twitter: @Beachwbb
GAME #12: LONG BEACH STATE at CSUN
Date: Saturday, January 15
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Northridge, Calif.
Venue: The Matadome
Live Stats: GoMatadors.com
TV: ESPN+
Twitter: @Beachwbb
COMPLETE LBSU GAME NOTES (PDF)
Long Beach State Women's Hoops Hit the Road at UC Santa Barbara and CSUN
The Long Beach State women's basketball team is back in action this week as the Beach take on UC Santa Barbara and CSUN in a pair of road contests. The Beach and the Gauchos will face off on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Thunderdome, before LBSU goes head-to-head with the Matadors on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m., at the Matadome.
Catch All The Action
Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ for $5.99 per month ($59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com, or on the ESPN App. It is also available as part of the Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney +,ESPN+, and Hulu for $13.99 per month (Hulu with ads) or $19.99 per month (Hulu without ads). Fans can also follow stats updates on BeachLiveStats.com.
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at @BeachWBB. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics on Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU. And don't forget our hashtag #GoBeach.
COVID-19 Notes
• Long Beach State has had two non-conference games canceled in December, and two Big West conference games canceled in January due to COVID-19 protocols.
• Mask mandates remain in place in the Walter Pyramid and are anticipated to last throughout the season. Additionally, State of California regulations mandate all spectators for events inside the Walter Pyramid must provide either proof of vaccination (14+ days after last shot) or a negative COVID-19 test result (within 24 hours for a lab antigen test and 48 hours for a PCR test). That policy will be in place until further notice.
• If you are coming to the Walter Pyramid this season, please allow for extra time to enter the venue due to COVID-19 protocols as well as parking. Parking payment can be done in two ways, either at the parking machines on site or via the Parkmobile App.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State owns a 9-1 overall record and a 2-0 Big West Conference mark after opening league action with a pair of wins over Cal Poly and CSU Bakersfield.
• The Beach are 5-0 when playing inside the Walter Pyramid and 2-1 when playing on the road.
• LBSU was chosen to finish fourth in the Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll and second in the league's preseason media poll. Currently, LBSU sits atop the Big West Conference standings.
• The Beach lead the Big West Conference in seven statistical categories. Long Beach State sets the standard in scoring defense (52.10), scoring margin (+13.20), field goal percentage (.432), rebounding defense (34.90), steals per game (14.30), turnover margin (+9.00), and assist/turnover ratio (1.13).
• A defensively strong team, Long Beach State ranks among the top teams in the nation in turnover margin and steals per game. The Beach are fifth in the country with a 9.00 turnover margin and second in the nation with 14.30 steals per game. Additionally, LBSU has forced its opponents into 23.30 turnovers per game to rank 10th in the NCAA, while the Beach's scoring defense of 52.1 ranks 13th in the nation.
• Individually, senior forward Maddi Utti leads the Big West in steals per game with 3.56, which is good for seventh in the nation.
• LBSU has three players averaging double figures in Justina King (13.2 ppg), Maddi Utti (11.3 ppg), and Jasmine Hardy (11.1 ppg)
• Utti is also the team's rebounding leader with 8.2 boards per game. She also leads the squad with 32 steals, and 11 blocks.
• King tied her career-high with nine assists in the win over CSU Bakersfield to bring her season total to 43 as she leads the Beach in assists this season.
• 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
• Justina King leads the Beach in scoring the season with 13.2 points per game. King has led the team in scoring five times this season, reaching double-digits eight times. In her career, she has accumulated 1,111 points and ranks in the top 25 at Long Beach State.
• Maddi Utti opened the season with a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) and has since continued to excel on the court for the Beach averaging 11.3 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game. On the year, Utti is leading the Beach in rebounding as well as in steals (32) and blocks (11). Her 33 assists are good for second on the squad.
• Jasmine Hardy had a career-game against Seattle as she poured in a career-best 29 points on 11-of-14 made field goals and 7-of-9 made threes. She became just the fourth player in the Jeff Cammon era to reach at least 25 points in a game. This season she has led the Beach in scoring twice with four double-figure scoring performances. She is currently averaging 11.1 points per game.
• Kianna Hamilton-Fisher has been an integral part of the Beach offense this season. She has come off the bench and averaged 9.7 points per game to go along with 2.4 rebounds per game, 24 steals, 14 assists, and two blocks.
• Ma'Qhi Berry has been a force on the court this season contributing on both sides of the ball. Offensively, she averages 7.6 points per game with 32 assists, to go along with 3.0 rebounds per game. On the defensive end, Berry owns six blocks, while adding 18 steals.
• Lauren Green has earned the start in 8-of-9 games this season and has played an important role on the court. Although her numbers aren't overpowering, Green is a play maker. She makes things happen for the Beach both offensively and defensively and is a key component to the squad's success.
• Myrrah Joseph is averaging 4.8 points per game, 1.6 rebounds per game, while adding 12 assists, eight steals, and two blocks on the year as she has been a key reserve for Long Beach State this season.
• Patricia Chung is another cog in the Long Beach State wheel of success as the freshman guard is averaging 2.7 points per game and 0.6 rebounds per game. The scrappy Chung has helped contribute to the Beach's solid defensive efforts with a pair of steals and her stout defending.
• Thea Mikkelsen came to the Beach all the way from Roskilde, Denmark and in her collegiate debut tallied 10 points against Biola. Since her 10-point showing in the season opener, Mikkelsen has averaged 2.1 points per game, 0.9 rebounds per game, while adding four assists, and two steals in 51 minutes of action.
• Kristyna Jeskeova is another key factor to the Beach's deep bench. After earning two starts in the last three games, Jeskeova is averaging 1.8 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game to go along with 11 steals, five assists, and three blocks.
• Freshman Savannah Tucker has also played an important role for the Beach as she recorded a career-high 10 points against Seattle. On the year, Tucker is averaging 2.4 points per game and 0.6 rebounds per game, while also contributing two assists and two steals.
• Emily Sullivan has also been on the court in eight games this season for a total of 46 minutes in which she has contributed six points, eight rebounds, and two steals.
• Brandy Huffhines made her collegiate debut for the Beach in the season opener against Biola. She has since seen action against Seattle and Air Force. In three games, she has seen 21 minutes of action and is averaging 0.7 points per game and one steal.
• Redshirting for Long Beach State this season are freshmen Shelby Ray and Teodora Popovic.
Scouting UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Barbara comes into the game against Long Beach State with a 7-3 overall record.
• The Gauchos are 1-0 in Big West Conference action after earning a 63-42 win at Cal Poly last week.
• UCSB is currently on a five-game winning streak with victories over Denver (89-80), Bethesda (117-28), Sacramento State (66-58), San Jose State (81-51), and Cal Poly (63-42).
• The Gauchos has not lost a game since Nov. 27 when the dropped a 68-45 contest at Saint Mary's.
• UC Santa Barbara is undefeated at home as the Gauchos are 4-0 when playing in the Thunderdome this season.
• Ila Lane leads the Gauchos in scoring with 12.8 points per game, while also leading the squad with 9.0 rebounds per game. Lane adds a team-best 13 blocks to go along with seven assists and seven steals.
• Alexis Tucker is the team's second leading scorer with 10.8 points per game. She also contributes 2.4 rebounds per game, 12 steals, nine assists, and four blocks.
• The Gauchos' Johnni Gonzalez leads the squad with 14 steals to go along with 5.8 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game and a team-leading 34 assists.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Gauchos
Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara will meet for the 108th time in program history. The Beach holds a slight edge over the Gauchos in the all-time series, 54-53. LBSU has won the last two games against UCSB as they swept the series with the Gauchos last season.
Scouting CSUN
• CSUN brings a 5-6 overall record into the week and a 1-0 Big West Conference record.
• The Matadors kicked off league action with a 54-45 win at Cal Poly last week,
• CSUN has two double-figure scorers in Tess Amundsen (13.0 ppg) and Jordyn Jackson (10.4 ppg).
• Jackson is also the team's leader in assists with 34 to go along with 2.1 rebounds per game, and 16 steals.
• Kayanna Spriggs leads the Matadors in rebounding as she averages 5.8 boards per game, while also contributing 5.5 point per game and a team-leading six blocks.
• Sydney Woodley is the team's third leading scorer with 7.2 points per game. She is also the squad leader with 27 steals to go along with 3.1 rebounds per game, 15 assists, and two blocks.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Matadors
Long Beach State and CSUN will face off for the 65th time in program history. Overall, the Beach leads the all-time series 43-21, however, the Matadors were victorious in the last game the two teams played as CSUN defeated LBSU, 66-54, at the Matadome in 2020.
Big West Player of the Week
Maddi Utti was named Big West Conference Player of the Week for the first time in her career on January 3. The senior forward kicked off Big West action with a 20-point performance over CSU Bakersfield as she shot an impressive 64.3-percent from the field, connecting on 9-of-14 field goals. The Seaside, Ore., native was solid on both sides of the ball for Long Beach State as she also added eight rebounds, five steals, three blocks, and two assists in an all-around performance.
Hot Start
Long Beach State opened the 2021-22 campaign with an impressive 7-0 record marking the squad's best start under head coach Jeff Cammon. Additionally, the Beach tied their best start since the 1985-86 season when they kicked off the year going 7-0 under legendary head coach Joan Bonvicini. That year, the Beach went 29-5 overall and 14-0 in PCAA action en route to advancing to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.
Preseason Honors
Long Beach State women's basketball senior forward Maddi Utti was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 2022 Katrina McClain Award Preseason watch list. Named after two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year Katrina McClain, the annual award is in its fifth year. It recognizes the top power forwards in women's NCAA Division I College Basketball.
Defensively Strong
Long Beach State is a well-established defensive team that has led the Big West in steals multiple times over the last several seasons. This year the Beach are averaging a conference-leading 14.3 steals per game, which ranks them second in the nation. Long Beach State has forced their opponents into 23.3 turnovers per game, which is good for 10th in the nation. Leading the way for the Beach is Maddi Utti who owns a conference-leading 3.56 steals per game average, which ranks her seventh in the country.
A Grand Time
Justina King became the 26th player in Long Beach State women's basketball history to record 1,000 points in her career. She reached the milestone on Nov. 13 at Boise State as she recorded 16 points in LBSU's 61-38 victory. King joins the elite company of All-Americans LaTaunya Pollard (3,001 career points), Cindy Brown (2,696 career points), Penny Toler (2,193 career points), and Kirsten Cummings (1,740 career points). Most recently, King moved up to 20th all-time with 1,111 career points.
Next Up
Long Beach State returns home to the Walter Pyramid on Thursday, Jan. 20 as the Beach host UC San Diego at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Date: Thursday, January 13
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Santa Barbara, Calif.
Venue: The Thunderdome
Live Stats: UCSBGauchos.com
TV: ESPN+
Twitter: @Beachwbb
GAME #12: LONG BEACH STATE at CSUN
Date: Saturday, January 15
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Northridge, Calif.
Venue: The Matadome
Live Stats: GoMatadors.com
TV: ESPN+
Twitter: @Beachwbb
COMPLETE LBSU GAME NOTES (PDF)
Long Beach State Women's Hoops Hit the Road at UC Santa Barbara and CSUN
The Long Beach State women's basketball team is back in action this week as the Beach take on UC Santa Barbara and CSUN in a pair of road contests. The Beach and the Gauchos will face off on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Thunderdome, before LBSU goes head-to-head with the Matadors on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m., at the Matadome.
Catch All The Action
Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ for $5.99 per month ($59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com, or on the ESPN App. It is also available as part of the Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney +,ESPN+, and Hulu for $13.99 per month (Hulu with ads) or $19.99 per month (Hulu without ads). Fans can also follow stats updates on BeachLiveStats.com.
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at @BeachWBB. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics on Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU. And don't forget our hashtag #GoBeach.
COVID-19 Notes
• Long Beach State has had two non-conference games canceled in December, and two Big West conference games canceled in January due to COVID-19 protocols.
• Mask mandates remain in place in the Walter Pyramid and are anticipated to last throughout the season. Additionally, State of California regulations mandate all spectators for events inside the Walter Pyramid must provide either proof of vaccination (14+ days after last shot) or a negative COVID-19 test result (within 24 hours for a lab antigen test and 48 hours for a PCR test). That policy will be in place until further notice.
• If you are coming to the Walter Pyramid this season, please allow for extra time to enter the venue due to COVID-19 protocols as well as parking. Parking payment can be done in two ways, either at the parking machines on site or via the Parkmobile App.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State owns a 9-1 overall record and a 2-0 Big West Conference mark after opening league action with a pair of wins over Cal Poly and CSU Bakersfield.
• The Beach are 5-0 when playing inside the Walter Pyramid and 2-1 when playing on the road.
• LBSU was chosen to finish fourth in the Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll and second in the league's preseason media poll. Currently, LBSU sits atop the Big West Conference standings.
• The Beach lead the Big West Conference in seven statistical categories. Long Beach State sets the standard in scoring defense (52.10), scoring margin (+13.20), field goal percentage (.432), rebounding defense (34.90), steals per game (14.30), turnover margin (+9.00), and assist/turnover ratio (1.13).
• A defensively strong team, Long Beach State ranks among the top teams in the nation in turnover margin and steals per game. The Beach are fifth in the country with a 9.00 turnover margin and second in the nation with 14.30 steals per game. Additionally, LBSU has forced its opponents into 23.30 turnovers per game to rank 10th in the NCAA, while the Beach's scoring defense of 52.1 ranks 13th in the nation.
• Individually, senior forward Maddi Utti leads the Big West in steals per game with 3.56, which is good for seventh in the nation.
• LBSU has three players averaging double figures in Justina King (13.2 ppg), Maddi Utti (11.3 ppg), and Jasmine Hardy (11.1 ppg)
• Utti is also the team's rebounding leader with 8.2 boards per game. She also leads the squad with 32 steals, and 11 blocks.
• King tied her career-high with nine assists in the win over CSU Bakersfield to bring her season total to 43 as she leads the Beach in assists this season.
• 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
• Justina King leads the Beach in scoring the season with 13.2 points per game. King has led the team in scoring five times this season, reaching double-digits eight times. In her career, she has accumulated 1,111 points and ranks in the top 25 at Long Beach State.
• Maddi Utti opened the season with a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) and has since continued to excel on the court for the Beach averaging 11.3 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game. On the year, Utti is leading the Beach in rebounding as well as in steals (32) and blocks (11). Her 33 assists are good for second on the squad.
• Jasmine Hardy had a career-game against Seattle as she poured in a career-best 29 points on 11-of-14 made field goals and 7-of-9 made threes. She became just the fourth player in the Jeff Cammon era to reach at least 25 points in a game. This season she has led the Beach in scoring twice with four double-figure scoring performances. She is currently averaging 11.1 points per game.
• Kianna Hamilton-Fisher has been an integral part of the Beach offense this season. She has come off the bench and averaged 9.7 points per game to go along with 2.4 rebounds per game, 24 steals, 14 assists, and two blocks.
• Ma'Qhi Berry has been a force on the court this season contributing on both sides of the ball. Offensively, she averages 7.6 points per game with 32 assists, to go along with 3.0 rebounds per game. On the defensive end, Berry owns six blocks, while adding 18 steals.
• Lauren Green has earned the start in 8-of-9 games this season and has played an important role on the court. Although her numbers aren't overpowering, Green is a play maker. She makes things happen for the Beach both offensively and defensively and is a key component to the squad's success.
• Myrrah Joseph is averaging 4.8 points per game, 1.6 rebounds per game, while adding 12 assists, eight steals, and two blocks on the year as she has been a key reserve for Long Beach State this season.
• Patricia Chung is another cog in the Long Beach State wheel of success as the freshman guard is averaging 2.7 points per game and 0.6 rebounds per game. The scrappy Chung has helped contribute to the Beach's solid defensive efforts with a pair of steals and her stout defending.
• Thea Mikkelsen came to the Beach all the way from Roskilde, Denmark and in her collegiate debut tallied 10 points against Biola. Since her 10-point showing in the season opener, Mikkelsen has averaged 2.1 points per game, 0.9 rebounds per game, while adding four assists, and two steals in 51 minutes of action.
• Kristyna Jeskeova is another key factor to the Beach's deep bench. After earning two starts in the last three games, Jeskeova is averaging 1.8 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game to go along with 11 steals, five assists, and three blocks.
• Freshman Savannah Tucker has also played an important role for the Beach as she recorded a career-high 10 points against Seattle. On the year, Tucker is averaging 2.4 points per game and 0.6 rebounds per game, while also contributing two assists and two steals.
• Emily Sullivan has also been on the court in eight games this season for a total of 46 minutes in which she has contributed six points, eight rebounds, and two steals.
• Brandy Huffhines made her collegiate debut for the Beach in the season opener against Biola. She has since seen action against Seattle and Air Force. In three games, she has seen 21 minutes of action and is averaging 0.7 points per game and one steal.
• Redshirting for Long Beach State this season are freshmen Shelby Ray and Teodora Popovic.
Scouting UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Barbara comes into the game against Long Beach State with a 7-3 overall record.
• The Gauchos are 1-0 in Big West Conference action after earning a 63-42 win at Cal Poly last week.
• UCSB is currently on a five-game winning streak with victories over Denver (89-80), Bethesda (117-28), Sacramento State (66-58), San Jose State (81-51), and Cal Poly (63-42).
• The Gauchos has not lost a game since Nov. 27 when the dropped a 68-45 contest at Saint Mary's.
• UC Santa Barbara is undefeated at home as the Gauchos are 4-0 when playing in the Thunderdome this season.
• Ila Lane leads the Gauchos in scoring with 12.8 points per game, while also leading the squad with 9.0 rebounds per game. Lane adds a team-best 13 blocks to go along with seven assists and seven steals.
• Alexis Tucker is the team's second leading scorer with 10.8 points per game. She also contributes 2.4 rebounds per game, 12 steals, nine assists, and four blocks.
• The Gauchos' Johnni Gonzalez leads the squad with 14 steals to go along with 5.8 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game and a team-leading 34 assists.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Gauchos
Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara will meet for the 108th time in program history. The Beach holds a slight edge over the Gauchos in the all-time series, 54-53. LBSU has won the last two games against UCSB as they swept the series with the Gauchos last season.
Scouting CSUN
• CSUN brings a 5-6 overall record into the week and a 1-0 Big West Conference record.
• The Matadors kicked off league action with a 54-45 win at Cal Poly last week,
• CSUN has two double-figure scorers in Tess Amundsen (13.0 ppg) and Jordyn Jackson (10.4 ppg).
• Jackson is also the team's leader in assists with 34 to go along with 2.1 rebounds per game, and 16 steals.
• Kayanna Spriggs leads the Matadors in rebounding as she averages 5.8 boards per game, while also contributing 5.5 point per game and a team-leading six blocks.
• Sydney Woodley is the team's third leading scorer with 7.2 points per game. She is also the squad leader with 27 steals to go along with 3.1 rebounds per game, 15 assists, and two blocks.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Matadors
Long Beach State and CSUN will face off for the 65th time in program history. Overall, the Beach leads the all-time series 43-21, however, the Matadors were victorious in the last game the two teams played as CSUN defeated LBSU, 66-54, at the Matadome in 2020.
Big West Player of the Week
Maddi Utti was named Big West Conference Player of the Week for the first time in her career on January 3. The senior forward kicked off Big West action with a 20-point performance over CSU Bakersfield as she shot an impressive 64.3-percent from the field, connecting on 9-of-14 field goals. The Seaside, Ore., native was solid on both sides of the ball for Long Beach State as she also added eight rebounds, five steals, three blocks, and two assists in an all-around performance.
Hot Start
Long Beach State opened the 2021-22 campaign with an impressive 7-0 record marking the squad's best start under head coach Jeff Cammon. Additionally, the Beach tied their best start since the 1985-86 season when they kicked off the year going 7-0 under legendary head coach Joan Bonvicini. That year, the Beach went 29-5 overall and 14-0 in PCAA action en route to advancing to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.
Preseason Honors
Long Beach State women's basketball senior forward Maddi Utti was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 2022 Katrina McClain Award Preseason watch list. Named after two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year Katrina McClain, the annual award is in its fifth year. It recognizes the top power forwards in women's NCAA Division I College Basketball.
Defensively Strong
Long Beach State is a well-established defensive team that has led the Big West in steals multiple times over the last several seasons. This year the Beach are averaging a conference-leading 14.3 steals per game, which ranks them second in the nation. Long Beach State has forced their opponents into 23.3 turnovers per game, which is good for 10th in the nation. Leading the way for the Beach is Maddi Utti who owns a conference-leading 3.56 steals per game average, which ranks her seventh in the country.
A Grand Time
Justina King became the 26th player in Long Beach State women's basketball history to record 1,000 points in her career. She reached the milestone on Nov. 13 at Boise State as she recorded 16 points in LBSU's 61-38 victory. King joins the elite company of All-Americans LaTaunya Pollard (3,001 career points), Cindy Brown (2,696 career points), Penny Toler (2,193 career points), and Kirsten Cummings (1,740 career points). Most recently, King moved up to 20th all-time with 1,111 career points.
Next Up
Long Beach State returns home to the Walter Pyramid on Thursday, Jan. 20 as the Beach host UC San Diego at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
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