Men's Basketball Set To Begin Busy Return Week Wednesday Night Against Westcliff

Wednesday, January 5

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Westcliff

Photo by: John Fajardo

Men's Basketball Set To Begin Busy Return Week Wednesday Night Against Westcliff

1/5/2022 1:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - Westcliff

The Beach also added a game Thursday at UCLA.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State has added another game and will hopefully finally return to action Wednesday night, hosting NAIA opponent Westcliff at 7 p.m. inside of the Walter Pyramid. Admission is free to the game. The Beach also added a second game against #5 UCLA, set to tip at 4:30 on Thursday in Pauley Pavilion.

Game:................................... Long Beach State vs. Westcliff
Date:....................................... Wednesday, January 5, 2021
Time:............................................................................ 7 p.m.
Location:.................................................. Long Beach, Calif.
Arena:............................................... Walter Pyramid (4,200)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN+
TV Talent:................................ Jason Schwartz, Dave Miller
Webcast:.................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:.............................................................................. N/A
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• COVID-19 struck another game from the schedule as Long Beach State was scheduled to face Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday night, the third Big West game lost due to COVID-19. That was the fourth straight game lost for LBSU due to opponent protocol issues following two from the Beach against La Sierra and San Diego.

• Entering Wednesday, Long Beach State will have gone 23 days between games, a longer stretch than the longest pause from 2020-21, which went from December 10 to January 1 between games.

• Aboubacar Traore finished with a historic night as the Beach 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.

• 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 16.1 points per game, Murray ranks fourth 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 12.5 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 118 games for Long Beach State, and will shortly join the Top 10 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 9.4 points and 5.3 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 3.4 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 second on the team with 15 3-pointers made on 35.7% shooting.

• Aboubacar Traore has made an immediate impact with the Beach. A true freshman, Traore is averaging 5.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while making nine 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 3.9 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 four 3-pointers while Scott has averaged 10.5 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.

COVID-19 NEWS AND NOTES
• 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 or a negative COVID-19 test within 24 (Antigen) or 48 (PCR) hours of the event. 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.