Long Beach State Comes Up Just Short In Overtime In Another Black And Blue Rivalry Classic

Thursday, January 30

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

7-15,3-7Big West

UC Irvine

19-3,9-1Big West

OT 1

UC Irvine

Long Beach St.

Long Beach State Comes Up Just Short In Overtime In Another Black And Blue Rivalry Classic

1/30/2025 10:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - UC Irvine Photo Gallery

All five starters finished in double-figures for Long Beach State in the team’s return to the Walter Pyramid.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Energized by a strong home crowd in the Walter Pyramid for the 119th contest between Long Beach State and UC Irvine, the Beach led for over 20 minutes in a game with nine lead changes, but fell in overtime to the 'Eaters 80-75.

                Long Beach State (7-15, 3-7 Big West) got excellent performances from all five of their starters to nearly topple UC Irvine (19-3, 9-1 Big West) in the return to the Walter Pyramid. Derrick Michael Xzavierro had his second career double-double, scoring 12 points with 14 rebounds, both career highs, to go with three blocks. Devin Askew scored a team-high 18 points along with eight assists and five rebounds, Austin Johnson flirted with a double-double himself with 10 points and eight rebounds, while Kam Martin and TJ Wainwright each finished with 14 points.

                Askew and Martin both hit quick threes to open up an early lead for Long Beach State, who would control the early momentum in the contest. LBSU would be up as late as the eight minute mark at 25-22, but an 10-0 run from UC Irvine threatened to spin the game in favor of the 'Eaters. Big shots from Martin and Askew pulled the Beach back to within two at the half, 34-32.

                Wainwright gave the Beach a 36-34 lead quickly out of the locker rooms with a three, part of 11 second-half points for the junior. Long Beach State would slowly grow their lead, first pushing to seven points on an Austin Johnson hook shot before Wainwright buried another three to give Long Beach State at 10-point lead with just under six minutes remaining.

                The veteran Anteater team responded, however, finding their start Bent Leuchten for a big three to quickly answer, and then got another from Myles Che to cut the edge to four at 68-64. UCI found Che once again and then a foul inside on Leuchten led the 'Eaters tie the game at 68-68 with a minute left to play.

                Getting a great opportunity, Xzavierro nearly put the Beach in front on a second-chance effort in the final 30 seconds, but neither team was able to grab the lead in the final minute to send the game to overtime.

                In the overtime period, UC Irvine kept their momentum from the end of the second half and quickly jumped out to a 78-72 lead. A big 3-pointer from Varick Lewis gave the Beach some life with the score 78-75, and a steal from Johnson left the Beach with a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds. Lewis and Askew both had good opportunities after a big offensive rebound, but neither fell and UCI was able to close out the win from the free throw line.

                The Beach outrebounded UC Irvine 39 to 36 on the night led by the effort from Xzavierro, and had 14 second-chance points and 32 points in the paint, both bettering the Anteaters while limiting their turnovers to just nine on the night. UC Irvine finished with 55% shooting from three to just 35% for the Beach, and that would be the difference in the end.

                Long Beach State will face another traditional conference foe on Saturday, playing at UC Santa Barbara at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ from the Thunderdome.