Men's Basketball Riding Big Momentum Into Gulf Coast Showcase

Monday, November 20

Fort Myers, Fla.

10:30 a.m. PT

Long Beach State University

Illinois State

Men's Basketball Riding Big Momentum Into Gulf Coast Showcase

11/19/2023 7:41:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - Illinois State

Fresh off a win at Michigan, Long Beach State will play three mid-major opponents in three days.

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

ESTERO, Fla. -- Long Beach State is coming off of a signature 94-86 win on the road at Michigan. Marcus Tsohonis had a game-high 35 points while Lassina Traore finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds to key the win over the Wolverines

Game:.............................. Long Beach State vs. Illinois State
Date:........................................ Monday, November 20, 2023
Time:................................................................. 1:30 p.m. ET
Location:............................................................. Estero, Fla.
Arena:.................................................... Hertz Arena (7,181)
TV:.......................................................................... FloHoops
TV Talent:................................. John Vittas, Greg Anderson
Webcast:................................................................ FloHoops
Radio:.............................................................................. N/A
Live Stats:.............................................. beachlivestats.com

RIGHT AWAY
• The Michigan win was the sixth victory over Big Ten competition in program history, and the first coming in a true road game as Long Beach State rallied to defeat Michigan.

• Long Beach State will play their first eight games away from the Walter Pyramid, but will have an opportunity this week to play their first neutral site games as part of the Gulf Coast Showcase. With three games across November 20-22 against mid-major competition from Estero, Fla. the trio of games should provide a great test, starting with Illinois State on Monday. All three games will be broadcast via FloHoops.

• As part of his 35-point game, the second 30+ scoring effort from Marcus Tsohonis at Long Beach State, the senior passed 1,000 career points scored across stretches at Washington, VCU and Long Beach State. The team's leading scorer at 22.8 points per game, Tsohonis set a program record with 46 points in a triple overtime win at UCSD last season, and second in scoring this season across the Big West.

• The Beach returns all five starters from a season ago and return nine letterwinners. That returning core leaves Long Beach State as one of the favorites in the conference starting the year, picked second in the Preseason Big West Coaches Poll. The Beach is also receiving votes in the Mid-Major Top 25 to open the season.

• In total, Long Beach State returns over 75 percent of their scoring and rebounding and over 90 percent of their blocked shots from a season ago, one of just a handful of about 15 programs to return over 75% of a teams scoring in the NCAA. The Beach also brings back 71% of their minutes continuity, the 12th most in the NCAA this season per Ken Pomeroy.

NEWS & NOTES
• Long Beach State legend Larry Anderson has joined the coaching staff as the team's third assistant. One of the "Fab Four" for the Beach that started for four straight years leading to the 2011-12 NCAA Tournament appearance, Anderson is the program's steals record holder and ranks in the Top 10 in career scoring, rebounding and assists at LBSU as one of the best all-around players to ever put on the uniform at Long Beach State.

• Under Dan Monson, Long Beach State now has 13 wins against Power 6 conference opponents. With the 77-73 win at DePaul, Long Beach State has won two straight games against Big East competition after a 66-65 win over Providence as part of the 2021 Wooden Legacy. The Beach has also won two straight this season against power conference foes after a nationally notable 94-86 win over Michigan.

• Long Beach State plays a fast, exciting brand of basketball showcased by the team's tempo, which is one of the quickest in the nation, currently in the Top 10 as ranked by Ken Pomeroy.

PLAYER NOTES
• Coming out of the Ivory Coast, Long Beach State's dynamic inside duo of Aboubacar Traore and Lassina Traore ranked 1 and 2 in the rebounding for the Big West in 22-23. Reunited over 7,000 miles apart from where they met as youth national teammates and friends in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, the duo have served as the starting frontcourt in all 37 games they've played together at LBSU. Both were named to the Big West Preseason All-Conference team entering the year.

• Lassina Traore was selected as First Team All-Big West and was chosen the Big West Newcomer of the Year after a dominant first season at the Beach. Traore also earned NABC All-District honors, finishing the season with 17 double-doubles which ranked 9th in the nation. Traore is one of just 10 returning players in the NCAA to average a double-double a season ago, and is averaging 9.5 points and 8.3 rebounds through four games this season.

• The 17 double-doubles for Lassina Traore in 2022-23 matched the program's single-season high, set twice by T.J. Robinson. Additionally, his 347 total rebounds on the year ranked second in school history, nine fewer than the record set by Dave Jones in the 1960-61 season.

• As a junior, Aboubacar Traore continues to fill the stat sheet in his third season at Long Beach State. Traore, who set the modern-era record at LBSU with 23 rebounds in a game in 2021-22, and is averaging a new high of 14.3 points per game as a junior while bringing in 7.0 rebounds per game and leading the team in assists and blocks.

• Aboubacar Troare became the 19th player in program history to record 500 career rebounds just under two seasons, and currently ranks 11th at the Beach with 577 career rebounds. He also ranks 9th in career blocked shots, and is rounding into a nightly triple-double threat. Traore has the chance to join a legendary trio of players at the Beach who have scored 1,000 points, grabbed 500 rebounds and made 300 assists in their career.

• The 2021-22 Big West Defensive Player of the Year, Jadon Jones has 11 steals and 5 blocks through three games while continuing to be a major threat from three. Averaging 10.8 points per game, Jones currently ranks 9th in program history with 150 made 3-pointers in his career.

• The Beach has four players who are on pace to reach the 1,000 career point milestone, a club with just 24 members at Long Beach State. Junior Jadon Jones is the closest at 768 career points, though the Traores and sophomore AJ George are all also on track to reach the milestone before the end of their careers at Long Beach State. Marcus Tsohonis is also scoring at a rate to make it possible to reach 1,000 points in just two seasons.

• After an impressive debut season last year as a redshirt-freshman, AJ George continues to play a major role for the Beach as a sophomore. Coming off of the bench this season after starting 25 games a year ago, George is averaging 7.8 poitns and 3.8 rebounds per game as a consistent presence in the rotation.

• The starting spot vacated by George has been taken over by point guard Isa Silva, a position the Beach was light on due to injury a season ago. Silva was a consensus national Top 100 recruit coming out of Jesuit High School in Sacramento two seasons a year ago, and comes to the Beach after two years in the rotation with Stanford, playing 64 games with the Cardinal.

• Graduate transfer Messiah Thompson has also given the Beach a lift at the point guard position. Thompson is averaging 7.0 points and 2.3 assists per game off of the bench, providing more quickness and experience from the bench as a great shooter and ball-handler.

• Senior Amari Stroud continues to play a big role off the bench. The big man averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in Big West action a season ago, and is an outstanding defender and active big man who complements the up-tempo pace favored by the team.

• Chayce Polynice also returned to action after missing the first three games of the season at Michigan, providing another crucial avenue of post depth for the Beach. Poylnice averaged 3.3 points and 1.6 rebounds per game with pair of double-figure scoring contests last season.

• Among the reserves, Jeffrey Yan has played in 47 games as he enters his sixth season 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, making the biggest impact at UC San Diego, where he made the steal and assist leading to AJ George's game-winner in triple overtime.

• Long Beach State returns two medical redshirts as well. Shaumba Ngoyi is a promising big man who lost the 2022-23 season with a preseason knee injury, while guard Jason Hart Jr. played in five games before his season ended prematurely.

• Two true freshman will also look to make an impact for Long Beach State this season. Eli Djordjevic is a 6-8 guard out of White Rock, B.C. A Canadian youth team stalwart in international competition, Djordjevic will pose a matchup problem with his size. Another guard in 6-3 freshman Varick Lewis looks to be another shooter, coming from Monterey Trail High School in Elk Grove, Calif. where he averaged over 20 points per game.

THIS AND THAT
• Long Beach State continues to have an outstanding record in the Walter Pyramid. Since the start of the 2008-09 season, the Beach has piled up a 130-41 record at home, winning nearly 80% of their games in the iconic building. Per Ken Pomeroy, Long Beach State also sports the best home court advantage in the Big West.

• Head Coach Dan Monson is the winningest coach at Long Beach State, with more victories than basketball luminaries such as Jerry Tarkanian, Tex Winter, and Seth Greenberg who have also coached at the Beach. The Beach now has over 1,000 wins in program history, with Monson having won over 250 of those games. Monson also captured his 400th career win over three stops at Gonzaga, Minnesota and the Beach Feb. 8 at home against Cal State Fullerton. Monson also claimed his fourth Big West Coach of the Year award for his efforts in leading the Beach to the 2021-22 Big West regular season title.

• The Monson family legacy continues here at the Beach, as a third generation of the family joins the coaching ranks. Dan Monson's father Don Monson was a Division I head coach as well, leading Idaho and Oregon. Now, in addition to Maddox Monson joining the program as a walk-on, MicGuire Monson is also collaborating with the coaching staff in 2022-23 as a Graduate Assistant.

• In terms of legacy, the Beach also has a pair of sons of NBA veterans on the team. Jason Hart Sr. was a standout point guard at Syracuse before a ten-year NBA career, and is currently the head coach of the NBA G-League Ignite. Olden Polynice, father of Chayce Polynice played college ball at Virginia and was a Top 10 NBA Draft Pick. Polynice then played for 15 years in the NBA, scoring over 8,000 career points with 7,000 career rebounds.

• Long Beach State added a pair of signees in the November window, welcoming point guard Kam Martin and big man Vianney Salatchoum as commitments. Martin is an exciting combo guard, a playmaker who can score from three levels. Salatchoum is an elite shot blocker who at 6-11 is having a breakout sophomore season at Panola CC.