Saturday, February 4
Long Beach, Calif.
4 p.m.
Long Beach State University
14-10,8-4Big West
93
vs
88
UC Irvine
15-8,8-3Big West
1
2
OT 1
F
UC Irvine
36
44
8
88
Long Beach St.
35
45
13
93
Photo by: John Fajardo
Long Beach State Rallies For Overtime Win Over UC Irvine
2/4/2023 8:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Beach avenged a road loss at UCI by rallying from 13 behind to win in overtime.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Marcus Tsohonis scored 28 points and Lassina Traore recorded yet another double-double with 16 points and 20 rebounds as Long Beach State rallied through overtime to pick up a crucial, 93-88 win for the Big West standings in the Black and Blue Rivalry over UC Irvine.
Long Beach State (14-10, 8-4 Big West) trailed for most of the game against UC Irvine (15-8, 8-3 Big West) but battled throughout and rallied late in front of a raucous Walter Pyramid crowd to force overtime and then come away with the win.
UC Irvine opened the second half on a 9-0 run and would ultimately put the lead to as many as 13 with just under 15 minutes remaining, but Long Beach State would battle back. The Beach answered with a 12-2 run sparked by a basket from leading scorer Marcus Tsohonis. The Anteaters held LBSU at bay until the closing minutes, until Tsohonis finally tied the game at 70-70 with 2:21 remaining in regulation.
The teams traded free throws, but a pair from DJ Davis would put the Anteaters on top by three points with 41 seconds to play. Tobias Rotegaard made a huge three from the corner to tie the game. Davis went to the line once again and made two free throws to put UC Irvine back in front, but Tone Hunter took the inbounds and went coast-to-coast, fouled on the layup attempt with less than a second to play. The sophomore coolly sank both free throws to send the game to overtime.
Dawson Baker from UC Irvine struck first in the overtime period, hitting a 3-pointer to once again put UCI in the lead. The Beach stepped up defensively from there, though, making four of the team's six blocks in the final five minutes.
Tied at 85-85, Aboubacar Traore was fouled on a putback to complete a three-point play, and after Baker made one of two free throws with just over a minute remaining, Tsohonis answered with a pair at the stripe on the other end to put the Beach up four. Another stop and another free throw made the lead five points, before a pair of late baskets closed out the win.
Long Beach State out-rebounded UC Irvine 50-31 on the night, with Aboubacar Traore scoring 16 points with 8 rebounds and four assists, while Jadon Jones also finished in double-figures with 10 points and making three blocks, including two in overtime.
Traore's 20 rebound performance was the most in the Big West this season, and just the 19th 20-rebound game in the NCAA this season. Lassina joins his teammate Aboubacar as one of just seven Long Beach State players in the history of the program to record 20 or more rebounds in a game.
The win finishes the season series with the Anteaters, but the Beach have another massive game coming up, as Long Beach State hosts the league leaders UC Santa Barbra, in the first of two games between the Gauchos and LBSU in the next three weeks. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m., as the game will be nationally televised live on ESPNU.
Long Beach State (14-10, 8-4 Big West) trailed for most of the game against UC Irvine (15-8, 8-3 Big West) but battled throughout and rallied late in front of a raucous Walter Pyramid crowd to force overtime and then come away with the win.
UC Irvine opened the second half on a 9-0 run and would ultimately put the lead to as many as 13 with just under 15 minutes remaining, but Long Beach State would battle back. The Beach answered with a 12-2 run sparked by a basket from leading scorer Marcus Tsohonis. The Anteaters held LBSU at bay until the closing minutes, until Tsohonis finally tied the game at 70-70 with 2:21 remaining in regulation.
The teams traded free throws, but a pair from DJ Davis would put the Anteaters on top by three points with 41 seconds to play. Tobias Rotegaard made a huge three from the corner to tie the game. Davis went to the line once again and made two free throws to put UC Irvine back in front, but Tone Hunter took the inbounds and went coast-to-coast, fouled on the layup attempt with less than a second to play. The sophomore coolly sank both free throws to send the game to overtime.
Great extra pass and we're tied! 26.7 remaining in the 'mid. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/tzvl4OhGt2
— LBSU Men's Basketball (@LBSUMBB) February 5, 2023
Dawson Baker from UC Irvine struck first in the overtime period, hitting a 3-pointer to once again put UCI in the lead. The Beach stepped up defensively from there, though, making four of the team's six blocks in the final five minutes.
That's your reigning @BigWestSports Defensive Player of the Year #LBNation! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/WNVLa8ZtOj
— LBSU Men's Basketball (@LBSUMBB) February 5, 2023
Tied at 85-85, Aboubacar Traore was fouled on a putback to complete a three-point play, and after Baker made one of two free throws with just over a minute remaining, Tsohonis answered with a pair at the stripe on the other end to put the Beach up four. Another stop and another free throw made the lead five points, before a pair of late baskets closed out the win.
Long Beach State out-rebounded UC Irvine 50-31 on the night, with Aboubacar Traore scoring 16 points with 8 rebounds and four assists, while Jadon Jones also finished in double-figures with 10 points and making three blocks, including two in overtime.
Traore's 20 rebound performance was the most in the Big West this season, and just the 19th 20-rebound game in the NCAA this season. Lassina joins his teammate Aboubacar as one of just seven Long Beach State players in the history of the program to record 20 or more rebounds in a game.
The win finishes the season series with the Anteaters, but the Beach have another massive game coming up, as Long Beach State hosts the league leaders UC Santa Barbra, in the first of two games between the Gauchos and LBSU in the next three weeks. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m., as the game will be nationally televised live on ESPNU.
Team Stats
Irvine
LBSU
FG%
.457
.423
3FG%
.350
.333
FT%
.850
.784
RB
31
50
TO
11
18
STL
11
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
28
FGM
10
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's BasketballGuard
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