Double-Double Nights From The Traores Lead Long Beach State Past UC Riverside

Saturday, January 6

Long Beach, Calif.

4 p.m.

Long Beach State University

11-5,3-1Big West

UC Riverside

6-10,1-3Big West

UC Riverside

Long Beach St.

Double-Double Nights From The Traores Lead Long Beach State Past UC Riverside

1/6/2024 7:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Long Beach State had 46 points in the paint and shot 50% from the field in the 83-75 win.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State had five players in double-figures and both Traores finished with double-doubles as Long Beach State pulled away from UC Riverside in the second half for an 83-75 win over the Highlanders in the Walter Pyramid in front of a great Youth Day crowd of 2,546.

                Long Beach State (11-5, 3-1 Big West) had a dominant day inside finishing with 46 points in the paint and doing a nice job defensively on the perimeter against UC Riverside (6-10, 1-3 Big West) who ended the game 6-for-36 from three, shooting just 16.7% on the night.

                The contest was tight throughout the first half, as Aboubacar Traore picked up two quick fouls and played fewer than five minutes in the opening 20. Neither team was able to break away, with 14 lead changes and no lead larger than four points for either team over the first half. Lassina Traore did hit his first 3-pointer of his career (now 1-for-1) to spark a rally and the Beach held the halftime lead.

                In the second half, the Beach got a lift from both Traores, as Aboubacar returned fresh and picked up his double-double just in the second half. Leading by one at 44-43, Long Beach State went on a 13-0 run capped by a Messiah Thompson three, the key kill shot of the night.

                Leading by double-digits for most of the rest of the contest, the Highlanders cut it two eight but two late free throws from Jason Hart Jr. helped seal the game with Lassina Troare and Amari Stroud fouled out of the contest.

                In his ninth double-double of the season, Lassina led the team on the night with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Aboubacar finished with 14 and 11 after scoring just two points in the first half, while Marcus Tsohonois was near his season averaged with 16 points while setting a career high with 7 assists.

                Stroud scored 10 points for his second double-figure performance of the season off of the bench, while AJ George almost gave the Beach three double-doubles with 12 points and 9 rebounds.

                Long Beach State will go back on the road for two games next week, starting with a trip to UC San Diego on Thursday, January 11 before a nationally televised contest with preseason Big West favorites UC Santa Barbara on ESPNU in Santa Barbara on Saturday, January 13.