Men's Basketball Stays On The Road At Utah Valley Saturday

Saturday, December 3

Orem, UT

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Utah Valley

Photo by: John Fajardo

11/30/2022 2:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - Utah Valley

The Beach is in the midst of six straight games away from the Walter Pyramid.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State continues their longest stretch of games away from home, playing the first of three road games this Saturday when they face Utah Valley for the fourth time in three seasons. The Beach will look to avenge an overtime loss from last season at 1 p.m. PT from Ogden, Utah, with live coverage provided by ESPN+.

Game:................................. Long Beach State at Utah Valley
Date:........................................ Saturday, December 3, 2022
Time:................................................................. 2:00 p.m. MT
Location:........................................................... Ogden, Utah
Arena:.................................................. UCCU Center (8500)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN+
TV Talent:................................ Brandon Crow, Josh Kallunki
Webcast:.................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:.............................................................................. N/A
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• The Beach is coming off of a busy Feast Week, where the team played three games as part of Baha Mar Hoops from the Bahamas. Long Beach State claimed third place at that tournament, going 2-1 with victories over good mid-major programs in Oakland and Vermont.

• Long Beach State continues to feature a fast-paced offense, ranking 33rd nationally in average tempo according to Ken Pomeroy. The Beach have also hounded teams on defense, leading the Big West in both steals and turnover percentage through the start of the season.

• Three starters return for Long Beach State from a squad that captured the 2021-22 Big West regular season title. Senior Joel Murray was the leading scorer in the Big West a season ago after averaging 16.7 points per game, and will serve as the team leader in the backcourt in coming season. Joining him from the starting lineup are sophomore Jadon Jones, who returns as the league's Defensive Player of the Year a season ago and rebounding wizard Aboubacar Traore.

• Reunited over 7,000 apart from where they met as high school teammates and friends in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Lassina Traore joins Aboubacar Traore at the Beach where the pair have been the starting frontcourt for LBSU in every game this season.

• Senior Joel Murray continues to lead Long Beach State in scoring this season at 13.7 points per game, while every player who has started for LBSU this year has scored in double figures this season. In addition to Murray, Marcus Tsohonis is averaging 11.4 points per game for a double-figure average, while Jadon Jones, Aboubacar Traore, Lassina Traore and AJ George are all averaging over 5.0 points per game for the Beach.

NEWS & NOTES
• The Beach opened the season with a key non-conference road win, traveling to Riverside and coming away with a 79-64 win over California Baptist. Lassina Traore debuted with a double-double, leading the way for LBSU with 13 points and 12 rebounds Jadon Jones shared in the team lead with 13 points as well, while Tone Hunter dished out six assists in his Division I debut.

• Lassina Traore and Aboubacar Traore have both recorded two double-doubles so far this season, almost 25% of the double-doubles of the Big West this season, four out of 17. Aboubacar Traore now has nine double-doubles in his career in just over one full season of action.

• The Beach have been very effective inside, averaging over 40 points per game in the paint and currently rank second in the nation in percentage of points from 2-pointers, working effectively in both transition and from the halfcourt in getting productive shots.

PLAYER NOTES
• Joel Murray was chosen for the six-player Preseason All-Big West team, highlighting the big expectations this year for the senior. Murray leads the Beach in both scoring and assists this year, averaging 13.7 and 4.7 respectively per game for LBSU. The senior leads the Big West in Assist/Turnover ratio, and is tops on the team with 13 steals as Murray seeks a second NABC All-District selection.

• The reigning Big West Defensive Player of the Year, Jadon Jones has 12 steals and four blocks already through six games played. Leading the Beach in 3-pointers made this season, Jones is shooting 35.3 percent from three, and is averaging 9.7 points per game as an all-around threat for the Beach. With a trio of 3-pointers at California Baptist, Jones became the 18th player at LBSU to hit 100 career 3-pointers and can rapidly climb that list this season, currently 16th in school history as a sophomore.

• Aboubacar Traore set the modern era record for Long Beach State with 23 rebounds in a game as a true freshman, and has started off the new season again among the rebounding leaders for the Beach and the Big West. Leading the team and second in the Big West at 8.0 boards per game, Traore has three blocks to go with eight steals. His scoring game has been coming around as well, averaging 9.0 points per game in 2022-23 while recording two double-doubles in four games.

• Marcus Tsohonis has twice led the team in scoring in a pair of 20+ point games, most recently at Baha Mar Hoops against Vermont, scoring 23 points in his return to the starting lineup after missing the opening game in the Bahamas with injury. A transfer with DI experience at VCU and Washington, Tsohonis has added veteran leadership along with six steals and eight assists in the early portion of the season.

• Lassina Traore, a Division I transfer from Saint Louis, recorded two double-doubles in the first five games and has started every game this season. Traore is averaging 8.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game at the Beach, ranking fifth in the conference in rebounding.

• Sophomore Tone Hunter has been the primary backup for Joel Murray at the point guard position. Hunter was a prolific junior college scorer, averaging 17.8 points per game as a true freshman, and is second on the team in assists in 2022-23 at 2.7 per game while making nine steals.

• On the wing, Long Beach State has been relying on two returning players in AJ George and Tobias Rotegaard. Rotegaard played in 32 games last season and was fourth in the team in 3-pointers made. George missed the season with a shoulder injury, but has integrated quickly, averaging over 6.1 points per game and 3.3 reobunds as well as a redshirt freshman.

• In the frontcourt, a pair of junior college transfers have made an immediate impact. 6-11 Chayce Polynice leads the team in blocks on the year, and is averaging 3.6 points per game after reaching double figures for the first time with 10 points against Saint Katherine. Amari Stroud has also played a big role, averaging 3.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while making five blocks as well. Both players are active big men who complement the up-tempo pace favored by the team.

• Among the reserves, Jeffrey Yan has played in 41 games over five years at the Beach, bringing a veteran presence to Long Beach State's forward depth. Two other true freshman will supplement Long Beach State's guard play in Jason Hart Jr. and the son of head coach Dan Monson, Maddox Monson. The Beach has two planned redshirts on the season, as newcomers Matt Fegurgur and Shaumba Ngoyi will sit out during the 2022-23 campaign.