Long Beach State To Open Big West Play At Home Saturday Against Hawai'i

Saturday, January 8

Long Beach, Calif.

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Hawai'i

Photo by: John Fajardo

Long Beach State To Open Big West Play At Home Saturday Against Hawai'i

1/7/2022 3:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Hawai'i - Game Notes

Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

See attachment for complete Long Beach State game notes.

Game:...................................... Long Beach State vs. Hawai'i
Date:............................................ Saturday, January 8, 2022
Time:....................................................................... 1:00 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
• Finally after three attempts the Big West opener for Long Beach State has arrived, as the Beach and Hawai'i will tip off to start the conference campaign in the opener for both teams. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game will be live on ESPN+.

• After 23 games off, Long Beach State finally returned to action on 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.

• Saturday's meeting with Hawai'i is the first since the 2019-20 season, as the teams played twice one year ago in Hawai'i. The Beach won the last game in Long Beach, a 64-60 victory just prior to the end of the season two years ago.

• Thursday night's marked a unique rematch with UCLA. It marked just the first time since the 1992-93 season that the Beach will play 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 will face 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 Thursday against UCLA, 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 12.8 points per game while averaging 3.8 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 12.8 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 101 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 120 games for Long Beach State, tied with 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 9.4 points and 5.5 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 3.8 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 8.2 points per game while second on the team with 19 3-pointers made on 35.8% 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 5.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while making 12 blocks, showcasing his athleticism. He started his collegiate career by scoring 11 points at Idaho, and recently 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 3.5 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 10.0 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.