Comeback Effort Comes Up Short On The Road As Beach Falls At The Buzzer

Saturday, December 10

Sacramento, CA

3:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

4-5,0-0Big West

Sacramento State

5-5,0-0Big Sky

Long Beach St.

Sacramento St.

Photo by: John Fajardo

Comeback Effort Comes Up Short On The Road As Beach Falls At The Buzzer

12/10/2022 6:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - Sac State

Long Beach State tied the game with six seconds remaining, but a last-second shot handed Sacramento State the win.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Long Beach State erased a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes on the road at Sacramento State, tying the game in the final ten seconds, but a last second basket from Zach Chappell gave the Hornets a thrilling 76-74 win over the Beach.

                Chappell was the star of the night for Sacramento State (5-5), finishing with 25 points to lead all scorers including the final basket, but Long Beach State (4-5) showed plenty of fight and stifling defense down the stretch.

                Down nine points with just over three minutes remaining, the Beach went on a 7-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from Marcus Tsohonis to cut the lead to just two points with over a minute remaining. Quick baskets from Joel Murray helped keep the Beach within reach.

                A missed front end from Sacramento State gave Long Beach State a final chance, and Murray made the most of it, racing down the court for a layup to tie the game with fewer than ten seconds, but Chappell had an answer with a similar play to put the Hornets up one final time.

                Long Beach State took an early lead in the contest and controlled much of the first half, taking an 11-6 lead on an Aboubacar Traore dunk, but 3-pointers from Hunter Marks and Chappell gave the Hornets their first lead.

                Three point shooting was a key for Sacramento State in the game, as the Hornets got hot and stayed hot through that stretch. Sac State shot 13-for-28 from behind the arc on the night and shot 50% in a hot first half that helped put the Hornets in front by as many as nine and staked the home team to a seven-point lead at the break. That cushion would remain generally the same until the final late push from the Beach.

Wild sequence to end it as the comeback comes up just short - Murray tied it in the closing seconds but Sacramento State had one final answer. Murray with 21 points led the way for Long Beach State. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/c11Wtdmahh
— LBSU Men's Basketball ?? (@LBSUMBB) December 11, 2022

Murray led the way on the night for Long Beach State, scoring 21 points while adding six rebounds and three assists. Lassina Traore finished with 15 points for LBSU and three assists, while Tsohonis chipped in 14.

Long Beach State finishes their six-game road swing with one final test, facing USC on the road at the Galen Center. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 8 p.m., with coverage provided by the Pac-12 Networks.