Lassina Traore Records Third Straight Double-Double But Beach Falls At UC Irvine

Saturday, January 7

Irvine, CA

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

7-9,1-3Big West

UC Irvine

10-5,3-0Big West

Long Beach St.

UC Irvine

Photo by: John Fajardo

Lassina Traore Records Third Straight Double-Double But Beach Falls At UC Irvine

1/7/2023 9:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - UC Irvine

Traore scored a career-high 22 points to go with 13 rebounds in the defeat.

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

IRVINE, Calif. – Sophomore Lassina Traore recorded a third straight double-double, setting a career-high with 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Beach continued to command the post with 44 paint points, but strong outside shooting from UC Irvine let the 'Eaters pull away in an 87-70 defeat on the road.

                UC Irvine (10-5, 3-0 Big West) shot 46.4 percent from three on the night, 13-of-28 in contrast Long Beach State 2-for-16 from three, an edge that proved to be the difference on the night. Long Beach State won the rebounding battle on the night, had more points in the pain and second chance points, and forced the Anteaters into 14 turnovers, but weren't able to slow down the UCI attack on the offensive end enough to keep pace.

                An Amari Stroud paint touch was indicative of the early minutes, keeping Long Beach State even at 13-13 at the 14-minute mark in the first half, but a 3-point play from DJ Davis followed by an Andre Henry 3-pointer pushed the lead to six points, one that UCI would never again relinquish.

                The Anteaters hit seven of their first nine threes on the night, shooting 61.5 percent from distance in the first half to help push UCI to a 17-point lead at halftime despite Long Beach State getting 11 points and seven rebounds from Traore in the first 20 minutes.

                In the second half, Long Beach State was able to slow down the Anteater offense, holding even in the second half. The Beach were unable to cut into the lead significantly with a cold night from outside their arc themselves, not making a three in the second half to hamper the comeback efforts.

                Lassina Traore's double-double was his third straight and eighth of the season, while Aboubacar Traore contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and a team-high five assists on the night. Amari Stroud added eight points off the bench, but the inside production was not matched by the perimeter players in the loss.

                Long Beach State returns to the Walter Pyramid to start next week, hosting Cal Poly on Wednesday, January 11 before traveling to face preseason favorites Hawai'i on the road in Honolulu on Saturday. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.