Fast Start For Montana State Leads To Road Loss - Long Beach State University Athletics

Saturday, November 7

Bozeman, Mont.

1 p.m. MT

Long Beach State University

0-2,0-0Big West

Montana State

1-1,0-0Big Sky

Team	1	2	F
Long Beach St.	32	38	70
Montana St.	41	42	83

11/7/2026 2:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Long Beach State had four in double-figures but couldn’t slow down the Bobcats in Bozeman.

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

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Jack Payne led four players for Long Beach State with 14 or more points, but the Beach couldn't slow down Montana State after a fast start in an 83-70 loss on Saturday.

Montana State (1-1) started off the game blistering hot, making their first eight shots from the field to race out to a 19-10 lead as Long Beach State (0-2) did their best to keep pace but never grabbed a lead on the night.

Jaden Tengan had nine points off the bench in the first half alone, providing a spark for the Beach to keep the game within reach. Junior Brett Wright was fouled on a 3-point attempt, and sank all three free throws to cut the edge to seven at 35-28, and the Beach were within striking distance at the half down 41-32.

With the Beach down eight at 56-48 with 12:51 to play, Damez Slater had his big moment for Montana State, scoring 8 points in an 11-0 run for the Bobcats on the way to a 67-48 lead. An 11-2 run for LBSU gave the Beach some life with just under 10 minutes to play, cutting the Montana State lead back into single-digits. Two baskets from the Bobcats broke the momentum, and MSU closed out the game 83-70.

The shorthanded Beach found themselves on the wrong end of the rebounding battle again, as Montana State had 39 rebounds to 23 for the Beach, which contributed to 12 second chance points for the Bobcats. Jeremiah Davis from MSU shared the game high with Payne with 17 points. Tengan finished with 15 points off of the bench while Yohann Sissoko and McCaden Adams each scored 14.

Long Beach State will return to Southern California and host their home opener on Veteran's Day, welcoming former conference rival Pacific back to the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid with a 7 p.m. tipoff on Wednesday night, November 11.