Men’s Basketball Extends Winning Streak With 79-66 Win Over CSU Bakersfield

Thursday, February 22

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

18-9,10-5Big West

CSU Bakersfield

10-17,5-11Big West

CSU Bakersfield

Long Beach St.

Photo by: John Fajardo

Men’s Basketball Extends Winning Streak With 79-66 Win Over CSU Bakersfield

2/22/2024 10:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - CSU Bakersfield

AJ George led Long Beach State with 18 points off the bench in another big game against the Runners.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. – AJ George gave the Beach a lift with 18 points and 7 rebounds off the bench, leading a gritty effort at home against CSU Bakersfield as Long Beach State won 79-66 Thursday night.

                The victory was the fifth in a row for Long Beach State (18-9, 10-5 Big West) who kept pace with the league leaders after winning their third straight in the Walter Pyramid against CSU Bakersfield (10-17, 5-11 Big West).

                Long Beach State scored 25 points off of CSU Bakersfield turnovers, and limited their own with 18 assists and just 9 turnovers for a 2:1 ratio. The Beach was also efficient from the line, scoring 30 points in the paint and shooting 89.3 percent on their free throws, making 25 as a result of their efforts inside.

                CSU Bakersfield had the early edge, opening the game to a 15-8 lead after a basket from Fidelis Okereke. The Beach would chip away, first tying the game at 23-23 and then taking the lead at 26-25 after a 3-pointer from Messiah Thompson.

                The Runners held a 35-32 edge in the second half, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Jadon Jones and Thompson gave the Beach a lead they would never again relinquish. Two straight baskets from AJ George pushed the lead to seven points at 50-43. CSU Bakersfield made one more push, cutting the lead to one at 56-55.

                Lassina Traore answered with a massive 3-point play to extend the lead, and the Beach quickly grew the advantage to 11 points at 70-59 and closed out the win at the line.

                George led the Beach with 18 points off the bench, though Traore also played a big part with 15 points, six rebounds and 4 assists. Marcus Tsohonis scored 15 as well and Aboubacar Traore had 11 points, all at the line.

                Long Beach State will have a quick turnaround, facing Hawai'i on the road on Saturday night, with a late night tipoff coming at 9 p.m. PT on ESPN+.