Men's Basketball Remains On The Road At Sacramento State

Saturday, December 10

Sacramento, CA

3:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Sacramento State

Photo by: 10thYearSeniors

12/8/2022 1:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - Sacramento State

The game marks the fifth in six away from Long Beach.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Saturday marks the fifth of six straight games away from Long Beach for LBSU, as the Beach takes on Sacramento State on the road. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., with live coverage being provided through ESPN+.

Game:...................... Long Beach State at Sacramento State
Date:...................................... Saturday, December 10, 2022
Time:....................................................................... 3:30 p.m.
Location:.................................................. Sacramento, Calif.
Arena:......................................................... The Nest (1,012)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN+
TV Talent:...................................................... Steve McElroy
Webcast:.................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:.............................................................................. N/A
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• Saturday's meeting with the Hornets marks the first time in over 15 years the two California programs have met. Home court has been the key in the all-time series between the teams, as Long Beach State has never won in Sacramento, but have taken every contest in Long Beach or at a neutral site.

• Long Beach State continues to feature a fast-paced offense, ranking 17th 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 margin 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 13.6 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 12.1 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.

• 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.

• Lassina Traore and Aboubacar Traore have combined for five double-doubles so far this season, almost 25% of the double-doubles of the Big West this season. Lassina leads the league with three in eight games, while 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 nearly 40 points per game in the paint and currently rank third 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 13.6 and 4.6 respectively per game for LBSU. The senior leads the Big West in Assist/Turnover ratio, and is tops on the team with 16 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 in 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. Second on the team and fourth in the Big West at 7.8 boards per game, Traore has three blocks to go with nine steals. His scoring game has been coming around as well, averaging 8.4 points per game in 2022-23 while recording two double-doubles.

• 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 and is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.1 points per game.

• Lassina Traore, a Division I transfer from Saint Louis, has picked up three double-doubles in eight games and has started every game this season. Traore is averaging 9.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game at the Beach, ranking second in the league in rebounding after grabbing 16 rebounds the last time out at Utah Valley.

• 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 2.9 per game while making 10 steals. Hunter is also averaging 5.0 points per game, and has scored in double-figures in each of the last two games off of the bench for LBSU.

• Redshirt freshman AJ George has been pressed into the starting lineup due to injuries at the Beach, and has stepped up. In his first season, George is averaging 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, averging over 20 minutes on the floor per game this season.

• Also on the wing, Tobias Rotegaard had his best game of the season, leading Long Beach State in scoring with 16 points off the bench at UNLV. Second on the team in 3-pointers made, Rotegaard has now played in all but one game for LBSU, now in his second season at the Beach.

• In the frontcourt, a pair of junior college transfers have made an immediate impact. 6-11 Chayce Polynice is averaging 3.4 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 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. 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.