Thursday, February 15
Long Beach, Calif.
7:00 PM
Long Beach State University
vs
UC Davis
Photo by: John Fajardo
Beach Women’s Basketball Returns To The Walter Pyramid To Host UC Davis On Thursday Night
2/15/2024 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Long Beach State and UC Davis tip-off at 7 p.m. on Thursday night at the Walter Pyramid
LONG BEACH STATE (8-14, 3-9 Big West) vs. UC DAVIS (13-10, 9-4 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 15
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Jason Schwartz & Devin Hudson
Radio: 22 West
Radio Talent: Zach Durham & Kaylee Gallagher
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
Twitter: @LBSUWBB
Beach Women's Basketball Returns To The Walter Pyramid To Host UC Davis On Thursday Night
The Beach Women's Basketball team comes back to Long Beach to host UC Davis on Thursday, February 15 at 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.
Catch All the Action
All Long Beach State home games will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ for $9.99 per month ($99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or on the ESPN App. It is also available as part of the Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu for $14.99 per month (Hulu with ads) or $24.99 per month (Hulu without ads). Fans can also follow live stats via BeachLiveStatst.com
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at
@LBSUWBB. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics on Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU. And don't forget our hashtag #GoBeach.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State brings an 8-14 overall record and a 3-9 Big West mark into the game against UC Davis on Thursday night.
• The Beach are looking to bounce back after dropping their last two road contests at UC San Diego (78-45) and at Cal Poly (84-76).
• LBSU opened the 2023-24 campaign with an 82-62 victory over Biola marking the first of Head Coach Amy Wright's collegiate coaching career.
• Long Beach State has had a few key wins this season knocking off Nevada in convincing fashion, 79-52, before handing Colorado State their first loss of the year as the Beach earned their first-ever win over the Rams with an exciting 77-76 victory.
• The Beach have won three Big West contests this season over CSUN (76-58), UC Riverside (54-52), and Cal State Bakersfield (70-57).
• Long Beach State's motto is to play "Fast, Furious, and Fun." So far, the Beach has showcased a fast offense as they average 64.9 points per game to rank second in the conference, while boasting a furious defense as junior guard Sydney Woodley leads The Big West in steals per game (3.35). Additionally, the Beach brings a lot of fun both on and off the court as the team goes out into the stands after every home game for a "3-Minute Drill" in which they meet and mingle with the fans.
• Long Beach State is led by Savannah Tucker's 12.0 points per game, while boasting a free throw percentage of 82.7 which is good for fourth in the conference.
• Junior guard Sydney Woodley leads the Beach in steals with 67. She is now averaging a Big West-leading 3.35 steals per game, which ranks her fifth in the nation. Additionally, she is the team's second-leading scorer with 9.8 points per game on a 43.2 field goal percentage. Lastly, Woodley's 2.05 offensive rebounds per game put her in the Top 10 in the conference.
• Senior Casey Valenti-Paea had a career night on Dec. 16 against Pacific as she poured in a career-best 20 points. With her hot offensive output, Valenti-Paea is now averaging 9.1 points per game to rank third on the team. She adds 3.6 rebounds per game, while totaling 44 assists. Valenti-Paea has been consistent from behind the arc as she is second in the conference with a 42.6 three-point field goal percentage. She also is ninth in the league with 1.91 steals per game.
• So far this season, junior Patricia Chung has recorded a trio of career-highs as she dished out eight assists in the season opener against Biola before picking up 10 rebounds against Colorado State on Dec. 15. She had a career game against Cal State Bakersfield in which she poured in a career-best 24 points on Feb. 1. She contributes 7.7 points per game and 25 steals, while leading the team in assists (56), and coming in second on the team lead in rebounding (4.8).
• True freshman Jada Crawshaw has been a key component to Long Beach State as she has come off the bench in all 22 games this season and leads the team lead in rebounding (5.1 rpg) and and sets the standard blocks per game (0.91). Her blocking average is good for eighth in The Big West. She also chips in 6.6 points per game, while adding 18 steals and 13 assists. She currently leads LBSU with two double-doubles on the year.
• Joining Coach Wright on the bench this season is a brand new coaching staff comprised of Brian Rosario, Jashae Lee, and Raru Archer, while Brittany Klaman will be the squad's director of operations.
• The Beach have been picked to finish seventh in the Big West Preseason Coaches Poll with a total of 45 points. Hawaii, which garnered 95 points and six first-place votes was chosen as the league winner. Meanwhile UC Irvine (88 points, two first-place votes) and UC Davis (85 points, three first-place votes) were expected to finish second and third to round out the top three.
Player Notes
• Lauren Cummings is a freshman guard who hails from Billings, Mont. The 6-foot Cummings made her collegiate debut in the season opener against Biola and recorded her first career rebound. On Dec. 28, in the Beach's conference opener, she collected her first career points of her collegiate career. She has played in 18 games so far and is averaging 0.9 rebounds per game and 0.3 points per game,
• Lovely Sonnier came to the Beach after playing two years at South Carolina State. The junior guard has played in 18 games, while making 15 starts for LBSU this season. On the year, she is averaging 5.4 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game, while also adding 13 assists, 15 steals, and nine blocks.
• Junior guard Savannah Tucker is Long Beach State's leading scorer as she is averaging 12.0 points per game on a 36.6 field goal percentage. She also adds 82 boards, 24 assists, 26 steals, and seven blocks.
• Patricia Chung poured in a career-high 24 points against Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 1. After her monster game, Chung's scoring averaging went up to 7.7 points per game. She also adds 4.8 rebounds per game, to go along with a team-best 56 assists, while adding 25 steals.
• Cheyenne Givens is a graduate transfer who has been heating up offensively. She turned in a career-high tying 19-point performance against at CSUN on Dec. 30. Givens averages 8.9 points per game, while adding 2.7 rebounds per game, to go along with 26 steals, 37 assists, and five blocks.
• Kennan Ka earned the start in the Long Beach State season opener against Biola and played in two minutes and 30 seconds before leaving the court due to a season-ending injury.
• After redshirting for the Beach a year ago, Casey Valenti-Paea made her long awaited LBSU debut against Biola and earned her first start in Black and Gold against Nevada. She turned in a career-best performance with 20 points versus Pacific on Dec. 16 to bring her points per game average up to 9.1. She also contributes 3.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 44 assists. She adds 42 steals and eight blocks on the year.
• Jada Crawshaw, a freshman from Darwin, Australia, made her collegiate debut in the LBSU season opener against Biola on Nov. 8. She has since found her groove averaging 6.6 points per game and leading the team in rebounds per game (5.1) to go along with a team-leading 20 blocks.
• Sophomore forward Abby Shoff has come off the bench in six of Long Beach's games this season and is averaging 4.8 rebounds per game. However, she will be unavailable tonight due to an injury to her foot.
• Sydney Woodley has started in all 20 games in which she's played. She is the Beach's leader in steals with 67 swipes to average a conference-leading 3.35 steals per game. That mark is good for fifth in the nation. Additionally, Woodley is averaging 9.8 points points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 36 assists and one block.
• Olivia Moore redshirted last season at Long Beach State and made her collegiate debut for the Beach in the season opener against Biola. On the year she is averaging 1.5 points per game and 0.9 rebounds per game, while totaling five assists, two steals, and one block in 152 minutes played.
• Davai Matthews came back to Long Beach State after seeing limited action last year due to an injury. She has played in all 22 games thus far and has made nine starts. On the year, Matthews is averaging 4.4 rebounds per game and 3.5 points per game, to go along with 18 blocks, 18 assists, and 10 steals.
Scouting UC Davis
• UC Davis comes into the game against the Beach with a 13-10 overall record. The Aggies are 9-4 in The Big West.
• The Aggies are coming off of a pair of wins over Cal State Fullerton (61-48) and Hawaii (61-51) last week. They have won four of their last five contests.
• With a 9-4 league record, UC Davis is tied for third place in The Big West standings with UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.
• In The Big West preseason poll, UC Davis was chosen to finish third as the Aggies garnered 85 points, with three first-place votes, in the preseason poll.
• As a team, the Aggies are averaging 63.4 points per game, while allowing 61.4 for a scoring margin of +2.0.
• From the field, UC Davis is shooting 43.2 percent to go along with 34.3 rebounds per game. Additionally, the Aggies average 14.8 assists, 15.8 turnovers, 7.2 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game this season.
• The Aggies have three double figure scorers in Evanne Turner (14.5 ppg), Tova Sabel (13.8 ppg), and Megan Norris (10.9 pgg).
• In addition to being the squad's leading scorer, Turner also leads the team in steals with 27. She also contributes 4.0 rebounds per game to go along with 59 assists.
• Norris is the team's leading rebounder with 7.4 boards per game. She also leads the Aggies in blocks with 18, while adding 43 assists and 14 steals.
• Sydney Burns leads UC Davis with 88 assists to go along with 6.0 points per game and 2.6 rebounds. per game, while adding 15 steals.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Aggies
Long Beach State and UC Davis will meet for the 45th time in program history. Overall, the Aggies lead the all-time series 23-31. Last season, Long Beach State and UC Davis split the series with the Beach winning, 66-45, in Davis, and the Aggies claiming the 65-56 victory at the Walter Pyramid.
20/20 Vision
Junior guard Savannah Tucker wasted no time dropping 20 points as she kicked off the 2023-24 season scoring a career-high 25 points against Biola. At No. 5 Texas, Tucker went off again for 22 points to lead all scorers. The performance marked the third 20-plus point showing of her career as she previously dropped 20 at UC Riverside on March 5, 2022 during her freshman campaign. Now as a junior, Tucker has started in every game thus far and is the Beach's leading scorer with 12.0 points per game.
Tucker isn't the only Long Beach State player dropping 20 points. On December 16 against Pacific, senior guard Casey Valenti-Paea recorded a career-best 20 points. Against the Tigers, Valenti-Paea shot 57.1 (8-14) from the field and 60.0 (3-5) from long distance to lead the Beach. With her solid offensive showing, she is now averaging 9.1 points per game on the year.
Most recently, Patricia Chung poured in a career-high 24 points last Thursday against Cal State Bakersfield. The senior guard connected on 10-of-15 field goals and 4-of-6 from long distance. On the year, Chung is averaging 7.7 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game, while adding 55 assists and 25 steals.
Double-Double Toil And Trouble
This season Long Beach State has seen three separate players record a double-double. Freshman Jada Crawshaw was the first to record that feat as she tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds in her first collegiate double-double against then-No. 6 USC on December 21. Crawshaw is the only LBSU Women's Basketball player with two double-doubles ater notching a career-high 15 points and 12 rebounds last Thursday against Bakersfield. Junior Sydney Woodley recorded her first double-double in a Beach uniform against her former team, CSUN, on Dec. 31 when she finished with 12 points and 10 boards in Northridge. Most recently, Casey Valenti-Paea notched a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards at UC Riverside on Saturday, January 27.
Among The Nation's Best
Junior guard Sydney Woodley has been on-point defensively as she leads The Big West in steals per game with 3.35, which ranks her fifth in the nation. Woodley tied her career-high with seven swipes against UC Riverside on January 27. With Woodley leading the way, Long Beach is third in the conference with 10.72 steals per game this season.
Team Identity
LB Grit has been long associated with the Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program. However, when asked to describe her team's identity, Coach Wright was quick to say, "Gritty. Scrappy. Chippy." She went on to explain that her current team is filled with physical players who "get in there and tangle up, and talk their talk." Wright likes the hard-nosed, blue collar style of play her team has on the court. "Those three words explain the personality of this team. And you've got to be that way. If you're going to be running fast, shooting these shots, and guarding hard, you've got to play with a little chip on your shoulder."
Pack The Pyramid
Long Beach State Women's Basketball is looking to Pack the Pyramid this year and set new attendance records inside the 'Mid. This year's staff and players are excited for the new team look, new style of play, and all around brand new identity. Junior guard Savannah Tucker thinks the Beach fans "can expect to see us get up and down the court, have lots of energy, and just get out there and have fun. It's a fun game to play and it's going to be a fun game to watch."
Adding to that, sophomore forward Abby Shoff said, "I feel like we're gelling great. We have a true sisterhood. It's a real family-like atmosphere. I'm very grateful. I'm looking forward to creating new memories with this team. I think we'll have a great season!"
Wright wants fans to Pack the Pyramid all season long. "Come out and see us play. Give us a chance. I understand there's a lot going on in this area, but I promise you, you will be entertained. You will want to be a part of what we're building here at Long Beach State."
Saluting Our Legacy
The Long Beach State Women's Basketball program has announced its annual Alumni Weekend which will take place Friday, February 16 – Saturday, February 17. During this exciting weekend of fun and festivities, the Beach will recognize the 1983-84 Women's Basketball team that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, along with legendary Long Beach State alumna LaTaunya Pollard Romanazzi, the 1983 Wade Trophy Award Winner.
"This weekend is an opportunity for all alumni from any era to come together and celebrate Long Beach State Women's Basketball," LBSU Head Coach Amy Wright said. "The legacy the past has created has such a standard of excellence, it is important the community celebrates these women collectively. I am honored to be a part of this event that I hope becomes an annual celebration."
Alumni Weekend will begin on Friday, February 16 at 7 p.m. with a Meet & Greet at Legends in Long Beach. Appetizers and drinks will be served. Coach Wright will make a presentation, before giving the alumnae an opportunity to speak. Following the Meet & Greet, there will be an Open Gym held at The Goldmine, where the Beach played their games up until the opening of the Walter Pyramid in 1994.
Saturday, February 17 will kick off with the alumnae invited to join the 2023-24 Beach squad for shootaround at 10 a.m. After shootaround, the alumnae will be given a tour of the Walter Pyramid, which will include a virtual look at new improvements at approximately 11 a.m.
Long Beach State will take on CSUN at 3 p.m., with the alumnae in attendance cheering on the current Beach team. At halftime, the Beach alums will be recognized on the court for all of their accomplishments. At this time, the 1983-84 team will be celebrated for their 40th anniversary of their NCAA Elite Eight run. That squad finished the season with a 25-6 overall record and went 13-1 in the WCAA.
A postgame mixer with food and drink will follow where Long Beach State alumni, boosters, the current team, and the community can meet and mingle. The postgame mixer will feature special guest speakers in former LBSU Women's Basketball Head Coach Joan Bonvicini and Pollard Romanazzi.
To confirm your attendance to this fun-filled event, please visit: LongBeachState.com/wbbalum,
The weekend promises to be a polished celebration of our shared history, achievements, and the enduring legacy of our women's basketball program. We look forward to your presence and the chance to make more memories together.
Next Up
Long Beach State continues its homestand as the Beach welcome CSUN to the Walter Pyramid for a Saturday, Feb. 17 game. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Date: Thursday, Feb. 15
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Jason Schwartz & Devin Hudson
Radio: 22 West
Radio Talent: Zach Durham & Kaylee Gallagher
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
Twitter: @LBSUWBB
Beach Women's Basketball Returns To The Walter Pyramid To Host UC Davis On Thursday Night
The Beach Women's Basketball team comes back to Long Beach to host UC Davis on Thursday, February 15 at 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.
Catch All the Action
All Long Beach State home games will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ for $9.99 per month ($99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or on the ESPN App. It is also available as part of the Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu for $14.99 per month (Hulu with ads) or $24.99 per month (Hulu without ads). Fans can also follow live stats via BeachLiveStatst.com
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at
@LBSUWBB. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics on Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU. And don't forget our hashtag #GoBeach.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State brings an 8-14 overall record and a 3-9 Big West mark into the game against UC Davis on Thursday night.
• The Beach are looking to bounce back after dropping their last two road contests at UC San Diego (78-45) and at Cal Poly (84-76).
• LBSU opened the 2023-24 campaign with an 82-62 victory over Biola marking the first of Head Coach Amy Wright's collegiate coaching career.
• Long Beach State has had a few key wins this season knocking off Nevada in convincing fashion, 79-52, before handing Colorado State their first loss of the year as the Beach earned their first-ever win over the Rams with an exciting 77-76 victory.
• The Beach have won three Big West contests this season over CSUN (76-58), UC Riverside (54-52), and Cal State Bakersfield (70-57).
• Long Beach State's motto is to play "Fast, Furious, and Fun." So far, the Beach has showcased a fast offense as they average 64.9 points per game to rank second in the conference, while boasting a furious defense as junior guard Sydney Woodley leads The Big West in steals per game (3.35). Additionally, the Beach brings a lot of fun both on and off the court as the team goes out into the stands after every home game for a "3-Minute Drill" in which they meet and mingle with the fans.
• Long Beach State is led by Savannah Tucker's 12.0 points per game, while boasting a free throw percentage of 82.7 which is good for fourth in the conference.
• Junior guard Sydney Woodley leads the Beach in steals with 67. She is now averaging a Big West-leading 3.35 steals per game, which ranks her fifth in the nation. Additionally, she is the team's second-leading scorer with 9.8 points per game on a 43.2 field goal percentage. Lastly, Woodley's 2.05 offensive rebounds per game put her in the Top 10 in the conference.
• Senior Casey Valenti-Paea had a career night on Dec. 16 against Pacific as she poured in a career-best 20 points. With her hot offensive output, Valenti-Paea is now averaging 9.1 points per game to rank third on the team. She adds 3.6 rebounds per game, while totaling 44 assists. Valenti-Paea has been consistent from behind the arc as she is second in the conference with a 42.6 three-point field goal percentage. She also is ninth in the league with 1.91 steals per game.
• So far this season, junior Patricia Chung has recorded a trio of career-highs as she dished out eight assists in the season opener against Biola before picking up 10 rebounds against Colorado State on Dec. 15. She had a career game against Cal State Bakersfield in which she poured in a career-best 24 points on Feb. 1. She contributes 7.7 points per game and 25 steals, while leading the team in assists (56), and coming in second on the team lead in rebounding (4.8).
• True freshman Jada Crawshaw has been a key component to Long Beach State as she has come off the bench in all 22 games this season and leads the team lead in rebounding (5.1 rpg) and and sets the standard blocks per game (0.91). Her blocking average is good for eighth in The Big West. She also chips in 6.6 points per game, while adding 18 steals and 13 assists. She currently leads LBSU with two double-doubles on the year.
• Joining Coach Wright on the bench this season is a brand new coaching staff comprised of Brian Rosario, Jashae Lee, and Raru Archer, while Brittany Klaman will be the squad's director of operations.
• The Beach have been picked to finish seventh in the Big West Preseason Coaches Poll with a total of 45 points. Hawaii, which garnered 95 points and six first-place votes was chosen as the league winner. Meanwhile UC Irvine (88 points, two first-place votes) and UC Davis (85 points, three first-place votes) were expected to finish second and third to round out the top three.
Player Notes
• Lauren Cummings is a freshman guard who hails from Billings, Mont. The 6-foot Cummings made her collegiate debut in the season opener against Biola and recorded her first career rebound. On Dec. 28, in the Beach's conference opener, she collected her first career points of her collegiate career. She has played in 18 games so far and is averaging 0.9 rebounds per game and 0.3 points per game,
• Lovely Sonnier came to the Beach after playing two years at South Carolina State. The junior guard has played in 18 games, while making 15 starts for LBSU this season. On the year, she is averaging 5.4 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game, while also adding 13 assists, 15 steals, and nine blocks.
• Junior guard Savannah Tucker is Long Beach State's leading scorer as she is averaging 12.0 points per game on a 36.6 field goal percentage. She also adds 82 boards, 24 assists, 26 steals, and seven blocks.
• Patricia Chung poured in a career-high 24 points against Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 1. After her monster game, Chung's scoring averaging went up to 7.7 points per game. She also adds 4.8 rebounds per game, to go along with a team-best 56 assists, while adding 25 steals.
• Cheyenne Givens is a graduate transfer who has been heating up offensively. She turned in a career-high tying 19-point performance against at CSUN on Dec. 30. Givens averages 8.9 points per game, while adding 2.7 rebounds per game, to go along with 26 steals, 37 assists, and five blocks.
• Kennan Ka earned the start in the Long Beach State season opener against Biola and played in two minutes and 30 seconds before leaving the court due to a season-ending injury.
• After redshirting for the Beach a year ago, Casey Valenti-Paea made her long awaited LBSU debut against Biola and earned her first start in Black and Gold against Nevada. She turned in a career-best performance with 20 points versus Pacific on Dec. 16 to bring her points per game average up to 9.1. She also contributes 3.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 44 assists. She adds 42 steals and eight blocks on the year.
• Jada Crawshaw, a freshman from Darwin, Australia, made her collegiate debut in the LBSU season opener against Biola on Nov. 8. She has since found her groove averaging 6.6 points per game and leading the team in rebounds per game (5.1) to go along with a team-leading 20 blocks.
• Sophomore forward Abby Shoff has come off the bench in six of Long Beach's games this season and is averaging 4.8 rebounds per game. However, she will be unavailable tonight due to an injury to her foot.
• Sydney Woodley has started in all 20 games in which she's played. She is the Beach's leader in steals with 67 swipes to average a conference-leading 3.35 steals per game. That mark is good for fifth in the nation. Additionally, Woodley is averaging 9.8 points points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 36 assists and one block.
• Olivia Moore redshirted last season at Long Beach State and made her collegiate debut for the Beach in the season opener against Biola. On the year she is averaging 1.5 points per game and 0.9 rebounds per game, while totaling five assists, two steals, and one block in 152 minutes played.
• Davai Matthews came back to Long Beach State after seeing limited action last year due to an injury. She has played in all 22 games thus far and has made nine starts. On the year, Matthews is averaging 4.4 rebounds per game and 3.5 points per game, to go along with 18 blocks, 18 assists, and 10 steals.
Scouting UC Davis
• UC Davis comes into the game against the Beach with a 13-10 overall record. The Aggies are 9-4 in The Big West.
• The Aggies are coming off of a pair of wins over Cal State Fullerton (61-48) and Hawaii (61-51) last week. They have won four of their last five contests.
• With a 9-4 league record, UC Davis is tied for third place in The Big West standings with UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.
• In The Big West preseason poll, UC Davis was chosen to finish third as the Aggies garnered 85 points, with three first-place votes, in the preseason poll.
• As a team, the Aggies are averaging 63.4 points per game, while allowing 61.4 for a scoring margin of +2.0.
• From the field, UC Davis is shooting 43.2 percent to go along with 34.3 rebounds per game. Additionally, the Aggies average 14.8 assists, 15.8 turnovers, 7.2 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game this season.
• The Aggies have three double figure scorers in Evanne Turner (14.5 ppg), Tova Sabel (13.8 ppg), and Megan Norris (10.9 pgg).
• In addition to being the squad's leading scorer, Turner also leads the team in steals with 27. She also contributes 4.0 rebounds per game to go along with 59 assists.
• Norris is the team's leading rebounder with 7.4 boards per game. She also leads the Aggies in blocks with 18, while adding 43 assists and 14 steals.
• Sydney Burns leads UC Davis with 88 assists to go along with 6.0 points per game and 2.6 rebounds. per game, while adding 15 steals.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Aggies
Long Beach State and UC Davis will meet for the 45th time in program history. Overall, the Aggies lead the all-time series 23-31. Last season, Long Beach State and UC Davis split the series with the Beach winning, 66-45, in Davis, and the Aggies claiming the 65-56 victory at the Walter Pyramid.
20/20 Vision
Junior guard Savannah Tucker wasted no time dropping 20 points as she kicked off the 2023-24 season scoring a career-high 25 points against Biola. At No. 5 Texas, Tucker went off again for 22 points to lead all scorers. The performance marked the third 20-plus point showing of her career as she previously dropped 20 at UC Riverside on March 5, 2022 during her freshman campaign. Now as a junior, Tucker has started in every game thus far and is the Beach's leading scorer with 12.0 points per game.
Tucker isn't the only Long Beach State player dropping 20 points. On December 16 against Pacific, senior guard Casey Valenti-Paea recorded a career-best 20 points. Against the Tigers, Valenti-Paea shot 57.1 (8-14) from the field and 60.0 (3-5) from long distance to lead the Beach. With her solid offensive showing, she is now averaging 9.1 points per game on the year.
Most recently, Patricia Chung poured in a career-high 24 points last Thursday against Cal State Bakersfield. The senior guard connected on 10-of-15 field goals and 4-of-6 from long distance. On the year, Chung is averaging 7.7 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game, while adding 55 assists and 25 steals.
Double-Double Toil And Trouble
This season Long Beach State has seen three separate players record a double-double. Freshman Jada Crawshaw was the first to record that feat as she tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds in her first collegiate double-double against then-No. 6 USC on December 21. Crawshaw is the only LBSU Women's Basketball player with two double-doubles ater notching a career-high 15 points and 12 rebounds last Thursday against Bakersfield. Junior Sydney Woodley recorded her first double-double in a Beach uniform against her former team, CSUN, on Dec. 31 when she finished with 12 points and 10 boards in Northridge. Most recently, Casey Valenti-Paea notched a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards at UC Riverside on Saturday, January 27.
Among The Nation's Best
Junior guard Sydney Woodley has been on-point defensively as she leads The Big West in steals per game with 3.35, which ranks her fifth in the nation. Woodley tied her career-high with seven swipes against UC Riverside on January 27. With Woodley leading the way, Long Beach is third in the conference with 10.72 steals per game this season.
Team Identity
LB Grit has been long associated with the Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program. However, when asked to describe her team's identity, Coach Wright was quick to say, "Gritty. Scrappy. Chippy." She went on to explain that her current team is filled with physical players who "get in there and tangle up, and talk their talk." Wright likes the hard-nosed, blue collar style of play her team has on the court. "Those three words explain the personality of this team. And you've got to be that way. If you're going to be running fast, shooting these shots, and guarding hard, you've got to play with a little chip on your shoulder."
Pack The Pyramid
Long Beach State Women's Basketball is looking to Pack the Pyramid this year and set new attendance records inside the 'Mid. This year's staff and players are excited for the new team look, new style of play, and all around brand new identity. Junior guard Savannah Tucker thinks the Beach fans "can expect to see us get up and down the court, have lots of energy, and just get out there and have fun. It's a fun game to play and it's going to be a fun game to watch."
Adding to that, sophomore forward Abby Shoff said, "I feel like we're gelling great. We have a true sisterhood. It's a real family-like atmosphere. I'm very grateful. I'm looking forward to creating new memories with this team. I think we'll have a great season!"
Wright wants fans to Pack the Pyramid all season long. "Come out and see us play. Give us a chance. I understand there's a lot going on in this area, but I promise you, you will be entertained. You will want to be a part of what we're building here at Long Beach State."
Saluting Our Legacy
The Long Beach State Women's Basketball program has announced its annual Alumni Weekend which will take place Friday, February 16 – Saturday, February 17. During this exciting weekend of fun and festivities, the Beach will recognize the 1983-84 Women's Basketball team that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, along with legendary Long Beach State alumna LaTaunya Pollard Romanazzi, the 1983 Wade Trophy Award Winner.
"This weekend is an opportunity for all alumni from any era to come together and celebrate Long Beach State Women's Basketball," LBSU Head Coach Amy Wright said. "The legacy the past has created has such a standard of excellence, it is important the community celebrates these women collectively. I am honored to be a part of this event that I hope becomes an annual celebration."
Alumni Weekend will begin on Friday, February 16 at 7 p.m. with a Meet & Greet at Legends in Long Beach. Appetizers and drinks will be served. Coach Wright will make a presentation, before giving the alumnae an opportunity to speak. Following the Meet & Greet, there will be an Open Gym held at The Goldmine, where the Beach played their games up until the opening of the Walter Pyramid in 1994.
Saturday, February 17 will kick off with the alumnae invited to join the 2023-24 Beach squad for shootaround at 10 a.m. After shootaround, the alumnae will be given a tour of the Walter Pyramid, which will include a virtual look at new improvements at approximately 11 a.m.
Long Beach State will take on CSUN at 3 p.m., with the alumnae in attendance cheering on the current Beach team. At halftime, the Beach alums will be recognized on the court for all of their accomplishments. At this time, the 1983-84 team will be celebrated for their 40th anniversary of their NCAA Elite Eight run. That squad finished the season with a 25-6 overall record and went 13-1 in the WCAA.
A postgame mixer with food and drink will follow where Long Beach State alumni, boosters, the current team, and the community can meet and mingle. The postgame mixer will feature special guest speakers in former LBSU Women's Basketball Head Coach Joan Bonvicini and Pollard Romanazzi.
To confirm your attendance to this fun-filled event, please visit: LongBeachState.com/wbbalum,
The weekend promises to be a polished celebration of our shared history, achievements, and the enduring legacy of our women's basketball program. We look forward to your presence and the chance to make more memories together.
Next Up
Long Beach State continues its homestand as the Beach welcome CSUN to the Walter Pyramid for a Saturday, Feb. 17 game. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
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