Jadon Jones Has Career Night But Long Beach State Falls Short At No. 5 UCLA

Thursday, January 6

Los Angeles, Calif.

4:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

4-8,0-0Big West

UCLA

9-1,1-0Pac-12

Long Beach St.

UCLA

Jadon Jones Has Career Night But Long Beach State Falls Short At No. 5 UCLA

1/6/2022 7:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - UCLA

Jones scored a career-high 27 points but was the only scorer in double-figures on the night.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Freshman Jadon Jones gave Long Beach State a huge lift, finishing with 27 points on Thursday, but No. 5 UCLA had too much firepower in the rematch as the Bruins dropped Long Beach State 96-78 in Pauley Pavilion.

Long Beach State (4-8) got off to a great start on the night. Holding even with the Bruins over the first four minutes, Long Beach State pulled in front by two on a Colin Slater 3-pointer, and would extend their lead further on a transition lay-in from the senior. That put the Beach on top 15-11 with just over 11 minutes to play in the first half.

Colin Slater in transition keeps the Beach in the lead - Jadon Jones with eight points early as the Beach on to 15-14 with 11:08 to go in the first half. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/VjDEA0Tfek
— LBSU Mens Basketball (@LBSUhoops) January 7, 2022

No. 5 UCLA (9-1) responded at that point, going on an 11-0 run to take a seven-point lead. The Bruins continued to push at that point, holding the Beach to just 29 points in the half while taking a 45-29 edge.

Long Beach State responded with hot shooting in the second half, shooting 60 percent from the floor and 63.6 percent from three as Jones scored 15 of his 27 in the second 20 minutes, but the damage was done. The Beach would cut the lead back to 13 on a couple of occasions, the latest coming at 80-67 after a Tobias Rotegaard 3-pointer, but UCLA continued to have an answer on the way to the 96-78 victory.

Jadon Jones having a night - 20 points now for the freshman* but the Beach still with work to do, down 55-39 at UCLA. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/DlietXEp0k
— LBSU Mens Basketball (@LBSUhoops) January 7, 2022

Jones surpassed his previous career high of 20 points, becoming the third LBSU player this season to hang over 25 points on the Bruins. Jordan Roberts led the team in rebounding, nearing a double-double with eight points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes of action, limited due to foul trouble.

Long Beach State is set to finally start Big West play. The Beach will host Hawai'i at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Walter Pyramid in the thrice-delayed start to league action.