Long Beach State University
Sacramento State
Long Beach State Aims To Build Off Home Opener As Sacramento State Visits
11/14/2025 11:29:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Long Beach State continues its homestand Saturday with a sixth all-time meeting against Sacramento State, as the Beach look to extend their series lead and build momentum at the Walter Pyramid.
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Beach Women's Basketball continues their homestand Saturday afternoon with a matchup against another incoming Big West opponent, Sacramento State. This will be the sixth meeting between the programs. The Beach edged the Hornets 69-68 the last time they met in Sacramento and lead the all-time series 3-2.
Game:.......................... Long Beach State vs Sacramento State
Date:.......................................... Saturday, November 15, 2025
Time:............................................................................. 2 p.m.
Location:..................................................... Long Beach, Calif.
Arena:............................................................. Walter Pyramid
TV:................................................................................ ESPN+
TV Talent:..................................Devin Hudson, Jason Schwartz
Webcast:...................................................................... ESPN+
Radio:............................................................................... N/A
Live Stats:...........................beachlivestats.statbroadcast.com
RIGHT AWAY
• Long Beach State opened the season with road losses at Wyoming and Colorado State before returning to the Walter Pyramid for its 2025-26 home opener against future Big West opponent California Baptist. The Beach fell 80-63 but battled on the boards, finishing with a 51 to 42 rebounding edge over a CBU team ranked No. 3 nationally in defensive rebounds and No. 9 in total rebounds entering the game.
• Sophomore JaQuoia Jones-Brown returns as a key contributor after earning Big West All-Freshman Team honors in 2024-25. She closed last season in the starting lineup, averaging 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, second on the team in rebounding from the guard position, while shooting 41.4% from the field and 33.3% from three. Through the early portion of 2025-26, Jones-Brown is averaging 15.0 points (6th in the Big West) and 7.0 rebounds (6th in the Big West), including 6.0 defensive boards per game, which ranks 3rd in conference. She is also 42nd nationally with one double-double.
• Sophomore Mykelle Richards, also an All-Freshman Team honoree last season after starting 20 games and averaging 7.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, is expected to miss significant time after suffering a major injury over the offseason.
• In Richards' absence, the Beach will look to two returning forwards for expanded frontcourt roles. Sophomore Judit Oliva Fernandez, who appeared in 25 games last season, and sophomore Kennan Ka, who played in 20, are expected to take on increased responsibility.
• Oliva Fernandez showcased her versatility in the home opener against California Baptist and recorded the team's second double-double of the season and the first of her career with 12 points and 11 rebounds. She is averaging 9.0 points per game, which ranks 24th in the Big West, and 6.3 rebounds per game, which ranks 12th. She is also fifth in the conference with 1.3 blocks per game.
ABOUT THE BEACH
• Judit Oliva Fernandez has had extensive experience playing Internationally for Spain in 3x3 tournaments, an experience that she detailed for the Long Beach State Beach Reads series found at www.longbeachstate.com.
• Other returning players for Long Beach State in addition to Jones-Brown, Richards, Oliva Fernandez and Ka include sophomore guard Christy Reynoso, forward Brelynn Brice and center Haley Wright. The trio combined for 32 games played during the 2024-25 campaign.
• Two redshirts also return for Long Beach State. Tairat Samuel-Afolabi is a redshirt freshman from Sweden, while Lauren Cummings returns after playing 26 games in 2023-24 before redshirting last season.
• Khylee Pepe gives Long Beach State some veteran experience, joining the program as a senior after spending four years at San Diego State, including one as a medical redshirt in 2024-25. Pepe played in all 35 games for the Aztecs in 2023-24 as a junior, averaging 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. In total, Pepe played in 95 games with San Diego State after entering the program as a high school recruit from Bishop Montgomery High School.
• Long Beach State brought in three high school recruits to join the team this season. Rosie Akot is a 6-2 forward whose intensity was noted by Wright, coming from Adelaide in Australia. Morgan Mack is a 5-10 guard from Lancaster, who finished her career as the top scorer in Hart HS history, while Brynna Pukis was a four-time first-team all-league selection at Glacier Peak High School in Washington.
• Long Beach State made two changes to the staff in the offseason. Jesse Clark joined the program as an assistant coach, coming to the Beach from the Academy of Art in San Francisco where he was the head coach for the last two seasons, capping over 25 years in coaching across multiple levels. The Beach added Ashley Arroyo as the team's Director of Basketball Operations, while Jashae Lee and Raru Archer return for their third seasons on staff with Amy Wright and Long Beach State.
Tipoff is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. Fans can follow all the action on ESPN+ and through live stats at beachlivestats.statbroadcast.com.
