Black And Blue Rivalry Up Next For Men's Basketball

Saturday, January 7

Irvine, CA

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Irvine

Photo by: John Fajardo

1/6/2023 1:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - UC Irvine

Long Beach State and UC Irvine renew their rivalry Saturday at 6 p.m. in Irvine.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Black and Blue Rivalry takes center stage on Saturday as Long Beach State travels to the Bren Events Center to face UC Irvine for the first time this season. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Irvine on Saturday night.

Game:.................................... Long Beach State at UC Irvine
Date:............................................ Saturday, January 7, 2022
Time:............................................................................ 6 p.m.
Location:............................................................ Irvine, Calif.
Arena:........................................ Bren Events Center (5,000)
TV:.............................................................................. ESPN+
TV Talent:............................................................ Trent Rush
Webcast:.................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:........................................................................ AM 830
Live Stats:.............................................. ucirvinesports.com

RIGHT AWAY
• The Beach had five players in double-figures, led by Joel Murray's 20 points in a win on the road Thursday at CSUN. Lassina Traore matched a career-high with 16 rebounds to go with 15 points, while Aboubacar Traore also had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds on the night in an 84-74 victory.

• 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 9.3 rebounds per game, while Aboubacar is second at 8.7. 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 13 double-doubles so far this season, over 30% of the double-doubles of the Big West this season. Both recorded double-doubles for the second time this season at CSUN. LBSU is the only school to have two players in the Top 25 nationally in double-doubles this season.

• Senior Joel Murray continues to lead Long Beach State in scoring this season at 16.3 points per game while also contributing 3.9 assists per game. A first-team All-Big West selection a season ago, Murray has scored in double-figures in all but one game in 2022-23 and has scored 20 or more in every Big West game so far.

• Long Beach State continues to feature a fast-paced offense, ranking 10th nationally in average tempo according to Ken Pomeroy. The Beach have also hounded teams on defense, leading the Big West in both steals and coming in second 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 16.3 and 3.9 respectively per game for LBSU. The senior is third in the Big West in Assist/Turnover ratio, and is tops on the team with 25 steals as Murray seeks a second NABC All-District selection.

• The reigning Big West Defensive Player of the Year, Jadon Jones has 17 steals and seven blocks despite missing four games earlier this year. Leading the Beach in 3-pointers made this season, Jones is shooting 35.6 percent from three, and is averaging 9.2 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 14th 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 8.7 rebounds per game, Traore is also averaging 9.2 points per game, an increase on his output from his freshman season while recording six double-doubles, including 16 points and 16 rebounds at USC.

• Lassina Traore, a Division I transfer from Saint Louis, has picked up seven double-doubles and has started every game this season. Traore is averaging 10.3 points and 9.3 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 3.1 per game while making 17 steals. Hunter is also averaging 5.1 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 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. George has started in eight games, and is shooting a very good .667 percentage from the field on the year.

• 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 4.1 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 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Both players are active big men who complement the up-tempo pace favored by the team.

• 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 but has been out since being injured on December 31 against UC Riverside.

• 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.