Sunday, December 10
Los Angeles, Calif.
1 p.m.
Long Beach State University
7-4,0-0Big West
84
at
79
USC
5-4,0-0Pac-12
1
2
OT 1
F
Long Beach St.
30
44
10
84
Southern California
45
29
5
79
Beach Stuns Sold Out Galen Center With 84-79 Overtime Win Over USC
12/10/2023 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Long Beach State has now won four straight and is among the NCAA leaders with four true road wins on the year.
LOS ANGELES – With LeBron James and a sold out Galen Center in attendance for the debut of Bronny James, it was Long Beach State that stole the show, roaring back from a 15-point halftime deficit to force overtime and ultimately defeat USC on the road, 84-79.
USC (5-4) had a strong offensive half to control the action out of the gate. With the attention nationally squarely on the contest, the teams stayed even early at 7-7 but though a run of hot shooting helped the Trojans pull away early. USC shot 48.5 percent from the floor in the first half and held a 45-30 lead after 20 minutes. Long Beach State (7-4) was led by Jadon Jones in the first half, as the junior scored 12 points to keep the Beach in striking distance.
Marcus Tsohonis had five points, all from the line in the first half, but the senior took over in the second half and overtime to help Long Beach State snatch the victory. Seizing the momentum immediately out of the locker room, Long Beach State went on a 15-6 run in the first six minutes and the contest was on.
Tsohonis would finish with 28 points and hit two straight baskets including a three to cut the lead to two at 56-54, and then Jones put the Beach in front for the first time at 62-61 with just over seven minutes remaining.
Trailing by one, Tsohonis would put the Beach back in front with a minute left to play. A Boogie Ellis lay-in and a 1-for-2 trip to the line for James had USC back on top by two, 74-72, but the Beach found Tsohonis inside once more with a clutch shot with 3.9 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
With the momentum firmly on the side of the Beach, Tsohonis scored the first basket of overtime and then found Aboubacar Traore inside for a dunk to put the Beach up four, 78-74. The Trojans pulled it back to one possession, but down two, Collier missed the second of two free throws, and Tsohonis canned to put the Beach up three with just over 30 seconds to play.
In the critical final possession, Traore erased a shot from Collier and found Tsohonis for the outlet wo sealed the win for Long Beach State.
With the win, Long Beach State has now won four straight games and is one of four programs with four true road wins on the year in the NCAA. The Beach now claims wins over Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big East opponents in the non-conference.
Long Beach State will take the week off for Finals, returning to the Walter Pyramid for their next game on Tuesday, December 19 when the Beach hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills. Tipoff for that game is part of a doubleheader with the women's program, scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
USC (5-4) had a strong offensive half to control the action out of the gate. With the attention nationally squarely on the contest, the teams stayed even early at 7-7 but though a run of hot shooting helped the Trojans pull away early. USC shot 48.5 percent from the floor in the first half and held a 45-30 lead after 20 minutes. Long Beach State (7-4) was led by Jadon Jones in the first half, as the junior scored 12 points to keep the Beach in striking distance.
Marcus Tsohonis had five points, all from the line in the first half, but the senior took over in the second half and overtime to help Long Beach State snatch the victory. Seizing the momentum immediately out of the locker room, Long Beach State went on a 15-6 run in the first six minutes and the contest was on.
Tsohonis would finish with 28 points and hit two straight baskets including a three to cut the lead to two at 56-54, and then Jones put the Beach in front for the first time at 62-61 with just over seven minutes remaining.
Trailing by one, Tsohonis would put the Beach back in front with a minute left to play. A Boogie Ellis lay-in and a 1-for-2 trip to the line for James had USC back on top by two, 74-72, but the Beach found Tsohonis inside once more with a clutch shot with 3.9 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
Marcus Tsohonis!! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/ugTfdEfzSh
— Long Beach State Men's Basketball (@LBSUMBB) December 10, 2023
With the momentum firmly on the side of the Beach, Tsohonis scored the first basket of overtime and then found Aboubacar Traore inside for a dunk to put the Beach up four, 78-74. The Trojans pulled it back to one possession, but down two, Collier missed the second of two free throws, and Tsohonis canned to put the Beach up three with just over 30 seconds to play.
In the critical final possession, Traore erased a shot from Collier and found Tsohonis for the outlet wo sealed the win for Long Beach State.
You may have seen another block. Here's the most important block of this one!! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/nZmPeGJwgc
— Long Beach State Men's Basketball (@LBSUMBB) December 10, 2023
With the win, Long Beach State has now won four straight games and is one of four programs with four true road wins on the year in the NCAA. The Beach now claims wins over Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big East opponents in the non-conference.
Long Beach State will take the week off for Finals, returning to the Walter Pyramid for their next game on Tuesday, December 19 when the Beach hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills. Tipoff for that game is part of a doubleheader with the women's program, scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Team Stats
LBSU
USC
FG%
.421
.406
3FG%
.316
.226
FT%
.750
.556
RB
37
41
TO
18
19
STL
9
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
28
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
11
Pts
18
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
7
Pts
8
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball'24 '25 Men's Basketball Home Schedule Reveal
Tuesday, August 27
Introducing: 2024-2025 Long Beach State Men's Basketball Team.
Tuesday, July 02
Introducing - Men's Basketball Assistant Coach: Phil Scott
Wednesday, June 05
Introducing - Men's Basketball Assistant Coach: Anthony Santos
Thursday, May 30
