Career Night From Austin Johnson Not Enough As Beach Falls At UC Riverside

Thursday, February 20

Riverside, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Riverside

Career Night From Austin Johnson Not Enough As Beach Falls At UC Riverside

2/20/2025 9:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - UC Riverside

Johnson scored a career-high 22 points in the 87-66 road loss.

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

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Graduate Austin Johnson tied a career-high with 22 points and played a big part in a quick start for Long Beach State on the road, but UC Riverside was able to rally and pull away from the Beach in an 87-66 defeat Thursday night.

Long Beach State (7-20, 3-12 Big West) got off to a great start Thursday. Finding Johnson for six out of the first eight points for the Beach and locking up UC Riverside (18-10, 11-5) early, LBSU opened up a 14-4 lead and then were up 20-10 just over eight minutes remaining in the first half.

Highlanders star Barrington Hargress was the catalyst for a UC Riverside first half turnround, hitting a 3-pointer that sparked a 16-0 run for UCR as the Highlanders took the lead, an edge that would hold to the half at 38-30.

UC Riverside was 7-for-13 from three in the first half, and their hot shooting continued, finishing the night 14-of-28 from three to match a strong offensive effort inside from Johnson. Johnson was 8-for-11 from the field and tied his career high with 22 points while adding six steals and two blocks for the Beach.

Devin Askew added 16 points and TJ Wainwright scored 13 for Long Beach State, but a 39-23 edge on the glass from UC Riverside along with the 42 points from behind the arc helped the Highlanders take an 87-66 victory.

Long Beach State will be back in the Walter Pyramid on Saturday, hosting UC Santa Barbara at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.