Saturday, March 2
Long Beach, Calif.
2:00 PM
Long Beach State University
vs
UC Irvine
Photo by: John Fajardo
LBSU Women’s Basketball Hosts UC Irvine In Black And Blue Rivalry Game On Senior Day
3/2/2024 7:41:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. for the Long Beach State-UC Irvine contest, with a Senior Day Ceremony for Cheyenne Givens prior to the game
LONG BEACH STATE (12-15, 7-10 Big West) vs. UC IRVINE (18-8, 12-4 Big West)
Date: Saturday, March 2
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Jason Schwartz & Devin Hudson
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
Radio: 22 West
Twitter: @LBSUWBB
Tickets: LongBeachState.com/Tickets
LBSU Women's Basketball Hosts UC Irvine In Black And Blue Rivalry Game On Senior Day
The Long Beach State Women's Basketball team hosts UC Irvine in the Black and Blue Rivalry game on the final home game of the regular season. The Beach and the Anteaters will face off on Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. Fans can watch the contest live on ESPN+ with Jason Schwartz and Devin Hudson on the call. Prior to the game, Long Beach State will recognize its lone senior in Cheyenne Givens in a Senior Day Ceremony.
Catch All the Action
The Long Beach State- Cal State Fullerton game 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 FullertonTitans.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.
Saluting Our Senior
Cheyenne Givens joined the Beach as a graduate transfer after playing at Pepperdine. In her lone season at Long Beach State, Givens has made an immediate impact as she comes into her final home game averaging 8.9 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game. She also has totaled 39 assists, 28 steals, and five blocks in 27 games played at the Beach. An integral part of the women's basketball program at Long Beach, Givens has led the Beach in scoring four times and has recorded 11 double-figure scoring performances. She recorded a season-high 19 points on two separate occasions. Givens will be graduating in the spring with a master's degree in public administration.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State brings a 12-15 overall record and a 7-10 Big West mark into the game against UC Irvine on Saturday afternoon.
• The Beach have won four of their last five contests with victories over UC Davis (78-52), CSUN (86-62), at Cal State Bakersfield (69-67), and at Cal State Fullerton (74-59).
• With a 7-10 league record, Long Beach State is in seventh place in The Big West standings and is in a battle with Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Bakersfield to clinch the last two remaining seeds to The Big West Championship. Coming into Saturday's game, the Beach hold a two-game lead over Cal State Fullerton and a 2.5 game lead over Cal State Bakersfield with three games remaining.
• 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 half a dozen Big West contests this season with two of those wins coming against CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield. LBSU's other conference wins came against UC Riverside and UC Davis.
• Long Beach State's motto is to play "Fast, Furious, and Fun." So far, the Beach has showcased a fast offense as they average 66.4 points per game to lead the conference, while boasting a furious defense as junior guard Sydney Woodley leads The Big West in steals per game (3.50). 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 12.3 points per game, while boasting a free throw percentage of 82.0 which is good for fourth in the conference.
• Junior guard Sydney Woodley leads the Beach in steals with 84. She is now averaging a Big West-leading 3.50 steals per game, which ranks her third in the nation. Additionally, she is the team's second-leading scorer with 10.0 points per game on a 44.6 field goal percentage to come in fifth in the conference. Lastly, Woodley's 2.13 offensive rebounds per game put her in the Top 10 in The Big West.
• 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 9.6 points per game to rank third on the team. She adds 3.7 rebounds per game, while totaling 52 assists. Valenti-Paea has been consistent from behind the arc as she ranks second in the conference with a 41.4 three-point field goal percentage. She also is tied for sixth in the league with 2.12 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 8.1 points per game and 28 steals, while leading the team in assists (65), and adding 4.7 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore forward Davai Matthews is coming off of her first-career double-double performance at Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 22 as she helped the Beach to a 69-67 road victory with 10 points and 10 boards. On the year, Matthews is averaging 4.2 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game to go along with 25 assists, 21 blocks, and 17 steals.
• True freshman Jada Crawshaw has been a key component to Long Beach State as she has come off the bench in all 26 games this season and leads the team lead in rebounding (5.2 rpg) and and sets the standard blocks per game (0.81) along with Matthews as their blocking average is tied for eighth in The Big West. She also chips in 6.4 points per game, while adding 25 steals and 16 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 20 games so far and is averaging 0.8 rebounds per game and 0.2 points per game,
• Lovely Sonnier came to the Beach after playing two years at South Carolina State. The junior guard has played in 22 games, while making 15 starts for LBSU this season. On the year, she is averaging 5.1 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game, while also adding 20 assists, 19 steals, and nine blocks.
• Junior guard Savannah Tucker is Long Beach State's leading scorer as she is averaging 12.3 points per game on a 31.7 field goal percentage. She also adds 93 boards, 34 assists, 28 steals, and eight 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 8.1 points per game. She also adds 4.7 rebounds per game, to go along with a team-best 65 assists, while adding 28 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 8.7 points per game, while adding 2.5 rebounds per game, to go along with 28 steals, 38 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 9.6. She also contributes 3.7 rebounds per game, to go along with 52 assists. She adds 55 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 6.4 points per game and leading the team in rebounds per game (5.2) to go along with a team-leading 21 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 24 games in which she's played. She is the Beach's leader in steals with 84 swipes to average a conference-leading 3.50 steals per game. That mark is good for third in the nation. Additionally, Woodley is averaging 10.0 points points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 44 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 1.6 points per game and 0.9 rebounds per game, while totaling six assists, four steals, and two blocks in 25 games played.
• Davai Matthews came back to Long Beach State after seeing limited action last year due to an injury. She has played in all 26 games thus far and has made 13 starts. On the year, Matthews is averaging 4.8 rebounds per game and 4.2 points per game, to go along with 21 blocks, 25 assists, and 17 steals.
Scouting UC Irvine
• UC Irvine comes into the game against the Beach with an 8-18 overall record. The Anteaters are 12-4 in The Big West.
• The Anteaters are coming off of a 64-54 victory over CSUN on Thursday, Feb. 29. UCI has won five of its last six games, with its lone loss during that stretch coming in overtime to UC San Diego (69-65).
• With a 12-4 league record, UC Irvine has already clinched a spot in The Big West Championship. Currently, the Anteaters are in second place, a game behind Hawaii with three games remaining.
• In The Big West preseason poll, UC Irvine was chosen to finish in second place. The Anteaters received two first-place votes garnering 88 points.
• As a team, the Anteaters are averaging 62.2 points per game, while allowing 55.8 for a scoring margin of +6.4.
• From the field, UCI is shooting 39.3 percent to go along with 35.7 rebounds per game. Additionally, the Anteaters average 12.0 assists, 14.8 turnovers, 10.7 steals, and 2,7 blocks per game this season.
• The Anteaters have a pair of scorers in double-figures in Deja Lee (13.3 ppg) and Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba (10.5 ppg).
• In addition to leading the team in scoring, Lee also is tied for the lead in steals (62) with Diaba Konate. Lee adds 3.6 rebounds per game to go along with 61 assists and four blocks.
• Coming off the bench, Nevaeh Parkinson leads the Anteaters in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and blocks (22). She is the squad's third leading scorer with 8.5 points per game, while adding seven assists and six steals.
• Konate, who is tied with Lee for the team lead with 62 steals, is the lone squad leader in assists with 94. She also averages 7.5 points per game to come in fourth on the team.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Anteaters
Long Beach State and UC Irvine will meet for the 83rd time in program history. Overall, the Beach lead the all-time series 62-20. Saturday's contest marks the second of the season between the Beach and the Anteaters. Earlier this season, UCI defeated LBSU, 74-59, at the Bren Events Center on January 25. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., the Beach lead the series, 28-10.
Fast, Furious, and Fun
When asked what to expect from the Beach this season, sophomore forward Abby Shoff responded, "Fast, furious, and fun! That's really what we are. We're very energized. You can tell we're having a lot of fun out there."
Coach Wright expanded saying, "(The fans) should expect games in the 80s and 90s. A lot of threes going up. A lot of quick buckets. Playing fast is us trying to score between 8-12 seconds on the shot clock. So, we want to get the ball up and take a really good shot. We want to share the basketball.
"Furious is defensively, we want to get after you," Wright continued. "We want to create havoc on that end. We've got to have a chip on our shoulder. Not necessarily playing mad, but playing hectic. Playing with intentionality of being disruptive.
"And finally, fun explains itself. This is a game. The players should be having fun. The coaches should be having fun. The fans should be having fun. If we're playing the game the right way, it's going to be fun."
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. Most recently, the product out of Fresno, Calif., recorded her third 20-point contest of the season in a 69-67 win at Cal State Bakersfield.
Tucker has now recorded four 20-plus point showings 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 12.3 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 9.6 points per game on the year.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, Patricia Chung poured in a career-high 24 points 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 8.1 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game, while adding 65 assists and 28 steals.
On Saturday Feb. 17, Sydney Woodley joined the 20-plus point club as she set a new career-high for herself tallying 21 points in an 86-62 victory over CSUN. Woodley's efficient offensive performance helping bring her scoring averaging to 10.0 ppg.
Double-Double Toil And Trouble
This season Long Beach State has seen four 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 this year after notching a career-high 15 points and 12 rebounds on Feb. 1 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.
Casey Valenti-Paea notched a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards at UC Riverside on Saturday, January 27.
Most recently, sophomore Davai Matthews joined that bunch as she notched her first-career double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) at Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday, Feb. 22 as she led the Beach to a 69-67 road win.
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 3.50, which ranks her third 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 second in the conference with 11.27 steals per game this season.
The Aussie Connection
Despite there being an 8,150-mile distance between Long Beach, Calif., and Australia, there is an Aussie connection at the Beach. Last season, when junior guard Casey Valenti Paea joined the squad from Melbourne, Australia by way of the University at Buffalo, she was the only one on the roster from Down Under. However, this season two more Aussies have joined her on the team in freshman forward Jada Crawshaw and director of operations Brittany Klaman.
Crawshaw hails from Darwin where she prepped at Barker College. She also gained experience playing for the Sydney Comets and the Sydney Flames. A a naturally gifted player, Crawshaw went on to be selected to the All-Australia Team and earned a spot on the U19 Aus Gems squad where she competed at the Centre of Excellence on one of four junior national team camps.
Klaman is originally from Point Cook in Melbourne where she played at Williamstown High School before heading to the United States for her collegiate career. In college, Klaman played at Eastern Washington and California Baptist, before joining the Long Beach State staff.
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."
Next Up
Long Beach State hosts UC Irvine in the final home game of the season on Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m. Prior to tip-off, the Beach will recognize graduating senior Cheyenne Givens in a Senior Day ceremony.
Date: Saturday, March 2
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Jason Schwartz & Devin Hudson
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
Radio: 22 West
Twitter: @LBSUWBB
Tickets: LongBeachState.com/Tickets
LBSU Women's Basketball Hosts UC Irvine In Black And Blue Rivalry Game On Senior Day
The Long Beach State Women's Basketball team hosts UC Irvine in the Black and Blue Rivalry game on the final home game of the regular season. The Beach and the Anteaters will face off on Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. Fans can watch the contest live on ESPN+ with Jason Schwartz and Devin Hudson on the call. Prior to the game, Long Beach State will recognize its lone senior in Cheyenne Givens in a Senior Day Ceremony.
Catch All the Action
The Long Beach State- Cal State Fullerton game 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 FullertonTitans.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.
Saluting Our Senior
Cheyenne Givens joined the Beach as a graduate transfer after playing at Pepperdine. In her lone season at Long Beach State, Givens has made an immediate impact as she comes into her final home game averaging 8.9 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game. She also has totaled 39 assists, 28 steals, and five blocks in 27 games played at the Beach. An integral part of the women's basketball program at Long Beach, Givens has led the Beach in scoring four times and has recorded 11 double-figure scoring performances. She recorded a season-high 19 points on two separate occasions. Givens will be graduating in the spring with a master's degree in public administration.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State brings a 12-15 overall record and a 7-10 Big West mark into the game against UC Irvine on Saturday afternoon.
• The Beach have won four of their last five contests with victories over UC Davis (78-52), CSUN (86-62), at Cal State Bakersfield (69-67), and at Cal State Fullerton (74-59).
• With a 7-10 league record, Long Beach State is in seventh place in The Big West standings and is in a battle with Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Bakersfield to clinch the last two remaining seeds to The Big West Championship. Coming into Saturday's game, the Beach hold a two-game lead over Cal State Fullerton and a 2.5 game lead over Cal State Bakersfield with three games remaining.
• 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 half a dozen Big West contests this season with two of those wins coming against CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield. LBSU's other conference wins came against UC Riverside and UC Davis.
• Long Beach State's motto is to play "Fast, Furious, and Fun." So far, the Beach has showcased a fast offense as they average 66.4 points per game to lead the conference, while boasting a furious defense as junior guard Sydney Woodley leads The Big West in steals per game (3.50). 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 12.3 points per game, while boasting a free throw percentage of 82.0 which is good for fourth in the conference.
• Junior guard Sydney Woodley leads the Beach in steals with 84. She is now averaging a Big West-leading 3.50 steals per game, which ranks her third in the nation. Additionally, she is the team's second-leading scorer with 10.0 points per game on a 44.6 field goal percentage to come in fifth in the conference. Lastly, Woodley's 2.13 offensive rebounds per game put her in the Top 10 in The Big West.
• 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 9.6 points per game to rank third on the team. She adds 3.7 rebounds per game, while totaling 52 assists. Valenti-Paea has been consistent from behind the arc as she ranks second in the conference with a 41.4 three-point field goal percentage. She also is tied for sixth in the league with 2.12 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 8.1 points per game and 28 steals, while leading the team in assists (65), and adding 4.7 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore forward Davai Matthews is coming off of her first-career double-double performance at Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 22 as she helped the Beach to a 69-67 road victory with 10 points and 10 boards. On the year, Matthews is averaging 4.2 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game to go along with 25 assists, 21 blocks, and 17 steals.
• True freshman Jada Crawshaw has been a key component to Long Beach State as she has come off the bench in all 26 games this season and leads the team lead in rebounding (5.2 rpg) and and sets the standard blocks per game (0.81) along with Matthews as their blocking average is tied for eighth in The Big West. She also chips in 6.4 points per game, while adding 25 steals and 16 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 20 games so far and is averaging 0.8 rebounds per game and 0.2 points per game,
• Lovely Sonnier came to the Beach after playing two years at South Carolina State. The junior guard has played in 22 games, while making 15 starts for LBSU this season. On the year, she is averaging 5.1 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game, while also adding 20 assists, 19 steals, and nine blocks.
• Junior guard Savannah Tucker is Long Beach State's leading scorer as she is averaging 12.3 points per game on a 31.7 field goal percentage. She also adds 93 boards, 34 assists, 28 steals, and eight 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 8.1 points per game. She also adds 4.7 rebounds per game, to go along with a team-best 65 assists, while adding 28 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 8.7 points per game, while adding 2.5 rebounds per game, to go along with 28 steals, 38 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 9.6. She also contributes 3.7 rebounds per game, to go along with 52 assists. She adds 55 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 6.4 points per game and leading the team in rebounds per game (5.2) to go along with a team-leading 21 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 24 games in which she's played. She is the Beach's leader in steals with 84 swipes to average a conference-leading 3.50 steals per game. That mark is good for third in the nation. Additionally, Woodley is averaging 10.0 points points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 44 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 1.6 points per game and 0.9 rebounds per game, while totaling six assists, four steals, and two blocks in 25 games played.
• Davai Matthews came back to Long Beach State after seeing limited action last year due to an injury. She has played in all 26 games thus far and has made 13 starts. On the year, Matthews is averaging 4.8 rebounds per game and 4.2 points per game, to go along with 21 blocks, 25 assists, and 17 steals.
Scouting UC Irvine
• UC Irvine comes into the game against the Beach with an 8-18 overall record. The Anteaters are 12-4 in The Big West.
• The Anteaters are coming off of a 64-54 victory over CSUN on Thursday, Feb. 29. UCI has won five of its last six games, with its lone loss during that stretch coming in overtime to UC San Diego (69-65).
• With a 12-4 league record, UC Irvine has already clinched a spot in The Big West Championship. Currently, the Anteaters are in second place, a game behind Hawaii with three games remaining.
• In The Big West preseason poll, UC Irvine was chosen to finish in second place. The Anteaters received two first-place votes garnering 88 points.
• As a team, the Anteaters are averaging 62.2 points per game, while allowing 55.8 for a scoring margin of +6.4.
• From the field, UCI is shooting 39.3 percent to go along with 35.7 rebounds per game. Additionally, the Anteaters average 12.0 assists, 14.8 turnovers, 10.7 steals, and 2,7 blocks per game this season.
• The Anteaters have a pair of scorers in double-figures in Deja Lee (13.3 ppg) and Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba (10.5 ppg).
• In addition to leading the team in scoring, Lee also is tied for the lead in steals (62) with Diaba Konate. Lee adds 3.6 rebounds per game to go along with 61 assists and four blocks.
• Coming off the bench, Nevaeh Parkinson leads the Anteaters in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and blocks (22). She is the squad's third leading scorer with 8.5 points per game, while adding seven assists and six steals.
• Konate, who is tied with Lee for the team lead with 62 steals, is the lone squad leader in assists with 94. She also averages 7.5 points per game to come in fourth on the team.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Anteaters
Long Beach State and UC Irvine will meet for the 83rd time in program history. Overall, the Beach lead the all-time series 62-20. Saturday's contest marks the second of the season between the Beach and the Anteaters. Earlier this season, UCI defeated LBSU, 74-59, at the Bren Events Center on January 25. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., the Beach lead the series, 28-10.
Fast, Furious, and Fun
When asked what to expect from the Beach this season, sophomore forward Abby Shoff responded, "Fast, furious, and fun! That's really what we are. We're very energized. You can tell we're having a lot of fun out there."
Coach Wright expanded saying, "(The fans) should expect games in the 80s and 90s. A lot of threes going up. A lot of quick buckets. Playing fast is us trying to score between 8-12 seconds on the shot clock. So, we want to get the ball up and take a really good shot. We want to share the basketball.
"Furious is defensively, we want to get after you," Wright continued. "We want to create havoc on that end. We've got to have a chip on our shoulder. Not necessarily playing mad, but playing hectic. Playing with intentionality of being disruptive.
"And finally, fun explains itself. This is a game. The players should be having fun. The coaches should be having fun. The fans should be having fun. If we're playing the game the right way, it's going to be fun."
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. Most recently, the product out of Fresno, Calif., recorded her third 20-point contest of the season in a 69-67 win at Cal State Bakersfield.
Tucker has now recorded four 20-plus point showings 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 12.3 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 9.6 points per game on the year.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, Patricia Chung poured in a career-high 24 points 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 8.1 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game, while adding 65 assists and 28 steals.
On Saturday Feb. 17, Sydney Woodley joined the 20-plus point club as she set a new career-high for herself tallying 21 points in an 86-62 victory over CSUN. Woodley's efficient offensive performance helping bring her scoring averaging to 10.0 ppg.
Double-Double Toil And Trouble
This season Long Beach State has seen four 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 this year after notching a career-high 15 points and 12 rebounds on Feb. 1 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.
Casey Valenti-Paea notched a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards at UC Riverside on Saturday, January 27.
Most recently, sophomore Davai Matthews joined that bunch as she notched her first-career double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) at Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday, Feb. 22 as she led the Beach to a 69-67 road win.
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 3.50, which ranks her third 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 second in the conference with 11.27 steals per game this season.
The Aussie Connection
Despite there being an 8,150-mile distance between Long Beach, Calif., and Australia, there is an Aussie connection at the Beach. Last season, when junior guard Casey Valenti Paea joined the squad from Melbourne, Australia by way of the University at Buffalo, she was the only one on the roster from Down Under. However, this season two more Aussies have joined her on the team in freshman forward Jada Crawshaw and director of operations Brittany Klaman.
Crawshaw hails from Darwin where she prepped at Barker College. She also gained experience playing for the Sydney Comets and the Sydney Flames. A a naturally gifted player, Crawshaw went on to be selected to the All-Australia Team and earned a spot on the U19 Aus Gems squad where she competed at the Centre of Excellence on one of four junior national team camps.
Klaman is originally from Point Cook in Melbourne where she played at Williamstown High School before heading to the United States for her collegiate career. In college, Klaman played at Eastern Washington and California Baptist, before joining the Long Beach State staff.
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."
Next Up
Long Beach State hosts UC Irvine in the final home game of the season on Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m. Prior to tip-off, the Beach will recognize graduating senior Cheyenne Givens in a Senior Day ceremony.
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