Montana State Defeats Long Beach State Despite 24 Points From Sykes

Friday, November 21

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

1-5,0-0Big West

Montana State

3-4,0-0Big Sky

Montana St.

Long Beach St.

Montana State Defeats Long Beach State Despite 24 Points From Sykes

11/21/2025 10:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Men’s Basketball lead at the half, but 43 second-half points let the Bobcats come away with the win Friday.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. – In the first game at the freshly renamed LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, Long Beach State Men's Basketball was led by true freshman Gavin Sykes, who scored 24 points, but Montana State defeated the Beach 78-72.

A close contest throughout, Long Beach State (1-5) and Montana State (3-4) were similar in most statistical categories, but 21 points off of turnovers for the Bobcats proved to be one of the deciding factors.

A putback from Cole Farrell gave Long Beach State an early lead at 8-7 with just under five minutes played, but Montana State responded by taking a 14-10 lead on a jumper from Jeremiah Davis. A 6-0 run with just over five minutes to play handed the Bobcats their largest lead of the night, but the Beach pulled straight back on a three-point play from Petar Majstorovic and a 3-pointer by Shaquil Bender.

Down two in the final seconds of the half, Isaiah Lewis buried a three to put the Beach in front 37-35 at the break. Tied at 42-42, another six-point run capped by a three-point play from Patrick McMahon off of an LBSU turnover gave Montana State the lead for good. 19 second-half points from Sykes kept Long Beach State within striking distance the rest of the way, but the Beach could never quite pull back over the top.

The 24 points from Sykes were a career-high, while Shaquil Bender added 17 and Farrell finished in double figures with 10. Majstorovic led the way once again on the glass with eight rebounds.

Long Beach State will play their next game on the road, taking on Portland on Wednesday, November 26 before returning to the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid to face San Diego on Sunday, November 30.