Men's Basketball Travels To UC Santa Barbara To Begin Week

Thursday, February 23

Santa Barbara, CA

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Santa Barbara

Photo by: John Fajardo

2/21/2023 1:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes - UC Santa Barbara

The Beach has four games remaining in the regular season.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State will start the week on the road, facing off against UC Santa Barbara as we come down the stretch in the regular season with just four games remaining. Tipoff against the Gauchos is scheduled for 7 p.m., with live coverage provided by ESPN+.

RIGHT AWAY
• The two teams played a thrilling game on national TV just two weeks ago, as Jadon Jones' attempt to break the hearts of the Gauchos for a second straight time didn't fall and UCSB held on for a 75-72 win in the Walter Pyramid. Aboubacar Traore led the way for LBSU with a double-double, scoring 18 points with 10 rebounds.

• Sophomore Lassina Traore played a big part in Long Beach State's six-game winning streak earlier this year, recording a double-double in all six games. Now with 14 on the season, Traore ranks 9th in the nation in double-doubles, 7th in rebounding, and is one of just 13 players in Division I to be averaging a double-double on the year.

• 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. Lassina leads the league with 10.4 rebounds per game, while Aboubacar is second at 8.6 per game. Reunited over 7,000 miles 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.

• Long Beach State continues to feature a fast-paced offense, leading the country nationally in average tempo according to Ken Pomeroy. The Beach have also hounded teams on defense, leading the Big West in steals at 7.5 per game, rebounding at 41.3 per game and ranking second in blocks at 3.39 per game.

• The Beach trails just #1 Alabama in rebounding nationally this season, one of six programs of 363 in Division I to be averaging over 40 rebounds per game as a team.

NEWS & NOTES
• The Beach have been very effective inside, averaging over 40 points per game in the paint and lead the nation in percentage of points from 2-pointers, working effectively in both transition and from the halfcourt in getting productive shots.

• Senior Joel Murray will not return this season, as his wrist injury sustained on January 7 at UC Irvine will require surgery. Murray led Long Beach State in scoring this season at 15.7 points per game while also contributing 3.8 assists per game. A first-team All-Big West selection a season ago, Murray scored in double-figures in all but two games he played and was averaging over 17 points per game in league play.

• 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.

• 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
• Marcus Tsohonis enters Saturday as Long Beach State's leading active scorer, averaging 15.3 points per game. A seasoned Division I transfer with experience at VCU and Washington, Tsohonis has scored over 20 points six times, setting a Long Beach State program record with 46 points at UCSD before putting up 21, 21, and 28 in three straight wins for Long Beach State. He also scored 23 points in a key non-conference win against Vermont at Baha Mar Hoops. Tsohonis is third in the Big West in scoring during conference play at 17.3 points per game.

• The reigning Big West Defensive Player of the Year, Jadon Jones has 37 steals and 18 blocks, leading LBSU despite missing five games this season, and ranks in the Top 10 in the Big West in both categories in league play. Leading the Beach in 3-pointers made this season, Jones is averaging 8.6 points per game as an all-around threat for the Beach. Jones became the 18th player to hit 100 3-pointers at LBSU and joined the Top 10 in career 3-pointers Feb. 11 at CSU Bakersfield.

• 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 9.8 points per game, an increase on his output from his freshman season while recording nine double-doubles, including 16 points and 16 rebounds at USC.

• Lassina Traore, a Division I transfer from Saint Louis, has picked up 14 double-doubles and has started every game this season. Traore is averaging 12.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game at the Beach, leading the league in rebounding. Traore is in the Top 10 nationally in both double-doubles and rebounding. Additionally, he cracked the Top 10 in single-season rebounds at Long Beach State, and is closing in on TJ Robinson's school record of 17 double-doubles in a season.

• Sophomore Tone Hunter has taken an increased role and is now serving as the team's primary point guard. Hunter was a prolific junior college scorer, averaging 17.8 points per game as a true freshman, and is averaging 7.2 points per game and averaging 2.6 assists per game as well, second-most on the team. Hunter has started eight games since January 12 against Cal Poly at point and is scoring 9.0 points per game in league action.

• 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 7.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. George has started in 10 games, and is shooting a very good .556 percentage from the field on the year. He set a career-high with 17 points at UC San Diego, scoring eight points in the third overtime, including the game-winner.

• 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.

• Junior Amari Stroud is also playing a big role off of the bench for Long Beach State. Averaging 5.2 points per game, Stround has increased his role in Big West action, and is averaging 6.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in league play this season after transfering in from junior college. Another junior college transfer, Chayce Polynice, is averaging 3.4 points per game while playing in 22 games. Both players are active big men who complement the up-tempo pace favored by the team.

• Among the reserves, Jeffrey Yan has played in 46 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.