Shorthanded Long Beach State Knocked Out Of NIT After Valiant Effort At BYU

Wednesday, March 16

Provo, Utah

6 p.m. PT

Long Beach State University

20-13,12-3Big West

(2) BYU

23-10,9-6WCC

Long Beach St.

BYU

Photo by: John Fajardo

Shorthanded Long Beach State Knocked Out Of NIT After Valiant Effort At BYU

3/16/2022 9:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Long Beach State had four in double-figures, but played without two key players on Wednesday night.

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

PROVO, Utah – Long Beach State held a five-point first half lead on the road at second-seed BYU in the first round of the NIT, and were tied as late as 57-57, but the Cougars pulled away down the stretch for a 93-72 win, knocking the Beach out of the postseason.

                Long Beach State (20-13) were without both Aboubacar Traore and Romelle Mansel for much of the contest, as Traore was unable to start after his back injury sustained in the Big West Championship, and Mansel aggravated an injury also sustained in the tournament after fifty seconds and was unable to continue.

                Despite those setbacks, it was the Beach that was control in the first half. A three-point play from Jordan Roberts put the Beach on top 17-12 over BYU (23-10). Continuing to hold the edge, the Beach would ultimately take their largest lead of the half at 30-22, and would lead by five at the break, 46-41 after Slater canned a three to close out the scoring.

                The Beach shot 89.5 percent from the line in the first half, and held the Cougars to just 20 percent shooting from three, and held BYU leading scorer Alex Barcello to just three points in the first half.

                Joel Murray scored three straight baskets for Long Beach State out of the halftime break, and the Beach withstood the first push from the Cougars.

                Long Beach State tied the game at 57-57 with 11:41 remaining on a Roberts free throw, but BYU followed with a 21-0 run that put the game out of reach for LBSU. Murray finished with 24 points, a game-high, while Roberts added 16, Slater scored 15 and Jadon Jones added 15.

                The Big West Champions, Long Beach State closed out the year with the 17th 20-win season in program history, as well as making the ninth NIT appearance and 18th postseason appearance in program history.