Men's Basketball Opens Three-Game Homestand Thursday With CSU Bakersfield

Thursday, February 3

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

CSU Bakersfield

Photo by: Steve Solis

Men's Basketball Opens Three-Game Homestand Thursday With CSU Bakersfield

2/2/2022 9:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - CSU Bakersfield

Long Beach State is aiming for a seventh consecutive win.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Winners of six in a row, Long Beach State returns to the Walter Pyramid for a three-game Big West homestand, starting on Thursday night when the Beach hosts CSU Bakersfield at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Game:....................... Long Beach State vs. CSU Bakersfield
Date:.......................................... Thursday, February 3, 2022
Time:....................................................................... 7:00 p.m.
Location:.................................................. Long Beach, Calif.
Arena:............................................... Walter Pyramid (4,200)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN+
TV Talent:............................... Jason Schwartz, Bill Herenda
Webcast:.................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:............................................................. 22 West Radio
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• Long Beach State had arrived at the Icardo Center on New Year's Day when the first game between the teams was canceled on New Years Day, part of the stretch of six games canceled for LBSU. LBSU and the runners have met six times previously, with the teams splitting a pair of games in the Walter Pyramid last season.

• True freshman Aboubacar Traore set a modern-era record in rebounding for LBSU in the team's game at UC Riverside, grabbing 23 boards in the win. It was the third-most rebounds in a game in school history, and the most since 1961. In the process, Traore became the third player in the country this season to record multiple games of 20 rebounds, joining elite company in Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky and Armando Bacot of North Carolina. The 23 rebounds was also the second most in a game this season, just behind Tshiebwe.

• Long Beach State is now 8-0 this season when holding their opponents under 70 points, and has averaged 72.3 points per game during the six-game winning streak. Most importantly over that stretch, the team is holding opponents to 21.0 percent shooting from three and averaging 8.5 steals per game while holding foes to 62.3 points per game.

• It's been a block party as Long Beach State now leads the Big West in blocked shots, averaging 3.7 per game, led by a pair of freshmen as Aboubacar Traore has 28 on the year while Jadon Jones has made 20.

COVID-19 NEWS AND NOTES
• Long Beach State Athletics will impose a temporary limit on attendance for indoor events inside of the Walter Pyramid for a two-week period from January 20 to February 3. This move has been taken to align with the latest California state guidance regarding indoor live events, which will impact one additional home game on Feb. 3 against CSU Bakersfield. Mask requirements will be upgraded to surgical, KN95 or N95 masks for all individuals aged 2 or older, and concessions will only be allowed within designated eating and drinking areas.

• If you are coming to the Walter Pyramid this season, please allow for extra time to enter the venue due to COVID-19 protocols as well as parking. Parking payment can be done in two ways, either at the parking machines on site or via the Parkmobile App.

• After 23 days off, Long Beach State finally returned to action on January 5, 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.

PLAYER NOTES
• Joel Murray has transitioned seamlessly to the Division I game, currently leading the team in scoring at 15.9 points per game. Murray ranks second in the Big West in scoring, and was the Big West Player of the Week for Jan. 24, the first LBSU player to win the honor since Deishuan Booker in the 2018-19 season. 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 9.9 points per game while averaging 3.5 boards in his second season at the Beach, but is sidelined currently due to COVID protocols. A starter throughout last season, Hampton is a sixth man of the year candidate 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, second on the team. Slater scored a career-high 27 points at UCLA, the first of four times he's scored 20 or more this season. 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 while shooting 39.8 percent from distance.

• 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 127 games for Long Beach State, sixth-most in school history, and is tracking down a trio of Beach Legends in Casper Ware, TJ Robinson and Eugene Phelps next. He is also Long Beach State's active career leader in every category other than 3-pointers made, and is averaging 8.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game this season, second most on the team.

• A defensive stalwart, Drew Cobb started the first seven games this season for the Beach and is averaging 4.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while traditionally guarding the opposing team's top perimeter player. Cobb has started 10 games this season, but is currently in COVID-19 protocols.

• Those 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, in his second season at the Beach coming out of St. Anthony High School in Long Beach. Now having started 15 games in a row, Jones is averaging 8.7 points per game while sitting second on the team with 32 3-pointers made on 35.2% shooting. Jones set a career-high in scoring in the rematch against No. 5 UCLA, scoring 27 points to lead the Beach, and earned All-Big West Tournament honors a year ago in a breakout performance.

• Aboubacar Traore has made an immediate impact with the Beach. A true freshman, Traore is averaging 7.8 points and leading the team at 8.1 rebounds per game while making a team-high 28 blocks. He recently set a career-best with 19 points against UC Irvine, and has recorded three double-doubles this season. He is leading the Big West in rebounding in league play at 11.3 rebounds per game.

• Romelle Mansel continues to play a key role for Long Beach State. Now having started 30 games in his career, Mansel is averaging 2.7 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.

• Tobias Rotegaard has played in every game this season for Long Beach State as a redshirt freshman from UAB. Rotegaard set a career-high with 10 points at UC Davis and is now fourth on the team in 3-pointers made this season. RJ Rhoden is another redshirt freshman who is receiving increased minutes in the latter stages of Big West action.