Men's Basketball Faces First Big West Road Test At CSUN

Thursday, January 5

Northridge, CA

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

CSUN

Photo by: John Fajardo

1/4/2023 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - CSUN

Long Beach State faces the Matadors Thursday night on ESPN+.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Road conference games start this week for Long Beach State, as the Beach travels to CSUN on Thursday to face the Matadors on the road in Northridge. Live coverage of the contest will be provided by ESPN+ in advance of tipoff which is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Game:......................................... Long Beach State at CSUN
Date:........................................... Thursday, January 5, 2022
Time:............................................................................ 7 p.m.
Location:.................................................... Northridge, Calif.
Arena:............................................... The Matadome (2,000)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN+
TV Talent:........................... Ghizal Hasan, Alan Zinsmeister
Webcast:.................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:.............................................................................. N/A
Live Stats:.................................................. gomatadors.com

RIGHT AWAY
• Long Beach State had a tough break in each of the team's first two conference games, playing well at home but surrendering a game-winning shot in the final second against both UC San Diego and UC Riverside. The Beach will look to bounce back this week, starting against the Matadors.

• Coming out of the Ivory Coast, Long Beach State's dynamic inside duo of Aboubacar Traore and Lassina Traore continue to rank 1 and 2 in the rebounding rankings of the Big West. Trading back once again, Lassina leads the league with 8.8 rebounds per game, while Aboubacar is second at 8.6. 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.

• Lassina Traore and Aboubacar Traore have combined for 11 double-doubles so far this season, over 30% of the double-doubles of the Big West this season. Lassina Traore was the latest to pick one up with 15 points and 13 rebounds against UC Riverside. Lassina leads the league with six, while Aboubacar has five and no other player in the league has more than two.

• Senior Joel Murray continues to lead Long Beach State in scoring this season at 16.0 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, AJ George and Tone Hunter are all averaging over 5.0 points per game for the Beach.

• Long Beach State continues to feature a fast-paced offense, ranking 11th nationally in average tempo according to Ken Pomeroy. The Beach have also hounded teams on defense, leading the Big West in both steals and in turnover margin this season.

NEWS & NOTES
• 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.

• Long Beach State 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 had 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.

• Against Life Pacific, the Beach set new highs in points (97) rebounds (61) and assists (31) in a dominant win over Life Pacific that saw both Traores finish with double-doubles and five players score in double-figures in a 97-52 victory in the first home game for Long Beach State in over three weeks.

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 16.0 and 3.6 respectively per game for LBSU. The senior is second in the Big West in Assist/Turnover ratio, and is tops on the team with 22 steals as Murray seeks a second NABC All-District selection.

• The reigning Big West Defensive Player of the Year, Jadon Jones has 15 steals and seven blocks despite missing four games earlier this year. Leading the Beach in 3-pointers made this season, Jones is shooting 34.6 percent from three, and is averaging 8.8 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. Averaging 8.6 rebounds per game, Traore is also averaging 9.0 points per game, an increase on his output from his freshman season while recording five double-doubles, including 16 points and 16 rebounds at USC.

• 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 six double-doubles and has started every game this season. Traore is averaging 10.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game at the Beach, leading the league in rebounding. Traore set a career-high with 16 rebounds at Utah Valley, matching the most in the Big West this season.

• 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 3.2 per game while making 16 steals. Hunter is also averaging 5.4 points per game, and has scored in double-figures on two occasions off of the bench.

• 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 2.8 rebounds per game, averaging over 20 minutes on the floor per game this season, his first at the collegiate level.

• 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 Utah Valley. Third on the team in 3-pointers made this season, Rotegaard has 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 4.4 points per game after reaching double figures for the second time with 16 points against Saint Katherine. Amari Stroud has also played a big role, averaging 3.4 points and 3.2 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 42 games over five years at the Beach, bringing a veteran presence to Long Beach State's forward depth. Son of head coach Dan Monson, Maddox Monson has also featured this season in a depth role, while Jason Hart Jr., Matt Fegurgur and Shaumba Ngoyi are slated to redshirt this season.