Joel Murray Selected Preseason All-Big West
10/19/2022 3:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Long Beach State was tabbed to finish in third place in the Big West this season by the coaches.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Senior Joel Murray was one of six players chosen for the Preseason All-Big West team as selected by the conference. The Big West office announced the results of that team as well as the preseason coaches poll on Wednesday, as the Beach was picked to finish third in the upcoming season.
Joel Murray returns for his senior season at Long Beach State after leading both the Big West and the Beach in scoring a season ago at 16.7 points per game. He also led Long Beach State in steals and assists a season ago, while averaging 3.0 rebounds per game. Murray was the team's top scorer on 17 occasions, scoring in double-figures in 26 of 30 games played and putting up 20 or more on 12 occasions.
Those numbers saw the junior named First Team All-Big West as well as being the first All-District honoree for the Beach since Nick Faust in 2016, as Murray was named Second Team All-District. Murray piled up 551 points a season ago and has an opportunity to become the 24th 1,000 point scorer in school history this coming year.
His honors weren't only individual, however, as Murray helped lead Long Beach State to a Big West regular season championship as the Beach went 12-3 in Big West action and reached the Big West Tournament finals, falling by a single point in the championship game.
In addition to Murray, Long Beach State brings back two other starters in sophomores Jadon Jones and Aboubacar Traore. Jones was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Year after ranking the conference's Top 10 in both steals and blocked shots as a perimeter defender. Jones averaged 10.5 points per game and 4.3 erbounds per game while making 66 3-pointers on the year, second among LBSU players and 6th in the Big West.
Traore was one of the breakout players in the Big West and the country a season ago. Earning honorable mention All-Big West as a true freshman, Traore averaged 8.1 rebounds per game a season ago, best on the team, and led the league in rebounding during Big West play at 9.9 rebounds per game. Recording seven double-doubles, Traore was one of just five players to record multiple 20-rebound games in 2021-22.
Joining those starters in returning are Tobias Rotegaard, Jeffrey Yan and redshirt AJ George, while the Beach also reloaded from a number of sources. Marcus Tshonois (VCU/Washington) and Lassina Traore (Saint Louis) are Division I transfers, while the Beach added impact scorers from the junior college ranks in Chayce Polyice, Tone Hunter, Amari Stroud and Matt Fegurgur. Finally, big man Shaumba Ngoyi along with Jason Hart Jr. and Maddox Monson have joined the program as freshman.
The Beach was in the top tier of the preseason voting, receiving a first place vote and finishing just behind Hawai'i in the totals as the top three was firmly established behind preseason favorites UC Santa Barbara.
Long Beach State will host an open exhibition this Friday at 7 p.m., welcoming Biola to the Walter Pyramid for the second year in a row. Admission into the contest is only $5 for all tickets. The team's official opening game is set for November 7 on the road at California Baptist, while Long Beach State hosts Montana State on November 13 in the team's home opener.
2022-23 Big West Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank Institution Points
1. UC Santa Barbara 99 (9)
2. Hawai'i 86 (1)
3. Long Beach State 84 (1)
4. UC Irvine 73
5. UC Riverside 56
6. UC Davis 54
7. Cal State Fullerton 51
8. CSU Bakersfield 32
9. Cal Poly 29
10. UC San Diego 23
11. CSUN 18
First-place votes in parentheses
2022-23 All-Big West Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Team
Noel Coleman (Jr., G) – Hawai'i
Andre Kelly (Gr., F) – UC Santa Barbara
Ajay Mitchell (So., G) – UC Santa Barbara
Joel Murray (Sr., G) – Long Beach State
Elijah Pepper (Jr., G) – UC Davis
Zyon Pullin (Sr., G) – UC Riverside
Joel Murray returns for his senior season at Long Beach State after leading both the Big West and the Beach in scoring a season ago at 16.7 points per game. He also led Long Beach State in steals and assists a season ago, while averaging 3.0 rebounds per game. Murray was the team's top scorer on 17 occasions, scoring in double-figures in 26 of 30 games played and putting up 20 or more on 12 occasions.
Those numbers saw the junior named First Team All-Big West as well as being the first All-District honoree for the Beach since Nick Faust in 2016, as Murray was named Second Team All-District. Murray piled up 551 points a season ago and has an opportunity to become the 24th 1,000 point scorer in school history this coming year.
His honors weren't only individual, however, as Murray helped lead Long Beach State to a Big West regular season championship as the Beach went 12-3 in Big West action and reached the Big West Tournament finals, falling by a single point in the championship game.
In addition to Murray, Long Beach State brings back two other starters in sophomores Jadon Jones and Aboubacar Traore. Jones was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Year after ranking the conference's Top 10 in both steals and blocked shots as a perimeter defender. Jones averaged 10.5 points per game and 4.3 erbounds per game while making 66 3-pointers on the year, second among LBSU players and 6th in the Big West.
Traore was one of the breakout players in the Big West and the country a season ago. Earning honorable mention All-Big West as a true freshman, Traore averaged 8.1 rebounds per game a season ago, best on the team, and led the league in rebounding during Big West play at 9.9 rebounds per game. Recording seven double-doubles, Traore was one of just five players to record multiple 20-rebound games in 2021-22.
Joining those starters in returning are Tobias Rotegaard, Jeffrey Yan and redshirt AJ George, while the Beach also reloaded from a number of sources. Marcus Tshonois (VCU/Washington) and Lassina Traore (Saint Louis) are Division I transfers, while the Beach added impact scorers from the junior college ranks in Chayce Polyice, Tone Hunter, Amari Stroud and Matt Fegurgur. Finally, big man Shaumba Ngoyi along with Jason Hart Jr. and Maddox Monson have joined the program as freshman.
The Beach was in the top tier of the preseason voting, receiving a first place vote and finishing just behind Hawai'i in the totals as the top three was firmly established behind preseason favorites UC Santa Barbara.
Long Beach State will host an open exhibition this Friday at 7 p.m., welcoming Biola to the Walter Pyramid for the second year in a row. Admission into the contest is only $5 for all tickets. The team's official opening game is set for November 7 on the road at California Baptist, while Long Beach State hosts Montana State on November 13 in the team's home opener.
2022-23 Big West Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank Institution Points
1. UC Santa Barbara 99 (9)
2. Hawai'i 86 (1)
3. Long Beach State 84 (1)
4. UC Irvine 73
5. UC Riverside 56
6. UC Davis 54
7. Cal State Fullerton 51
8. CSU Bakersfield 32
9. Cal Poly 29
10. UC San Diego 23
11. CSUN 18
First-place votes in parentheses
2022-23 All-Big West Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Team
Noel Coleman (Jr., G) – Hawai'i
Andre Kelly (Gr., F) – UC Santa Barbara
Ajay Mitchell (So., G) – UC Santa Barbara
Joel Murray (Sr., G) – Long Beach State
Elijah Pepper (Jr., G) – UC Davis
Zyon Pullin (Sr., G) – UC Riverside
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