Long Beach State Travels To Face CSUN On Saturday

Saturday, February 21

Northridge, Calif.

2 p.m.

Long Beach State University

CSUN

2/20/2026 12:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

26 CSUN

Beach Continue Big West Play with Road Test in the Valley

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State heads to the Valley on Saturday, February 21 for a Big West matchup against CSUN, looking to build on its 62-61 win in the series at home in January and carry improved execution into a key road contest. With the Big West season entering its final stretch, the Beach are focused on consistency on both ends of the floor and closing games with confidence.

RIGHT AWAY
• Everything offensively runs through JaQuoia Jones-Brown. The junior leads the Beach at 17.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while averaging more than 37 minutes per contest. Her ability to create off the bounce and score in traffic gives Long Beach State a steady option late in games.

• Khylee Pepe provides two-way production at 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Her defensive activity and ability to get downhill will be critical against a CSUN team that looks to create extra possessions with pressure.

• Kennan Ka orchestrates the offense at 6.5 points and a team-best 2.5 assists per game. Managing tempo and limiting live-ball turnovers will be central to controlling the road environment.

• In the frontcourt, Rosie Akot averages 6.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and gives the Beach interior presence on both ends. Brynna Pukis complements that balance with 33 made three-pointers this season, providing spacing that opens driving lanes.

• In the first matchup on January 17 at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, the Beach earned a 62-61 victory after leading 23-15 at the end of the first quarter and building a 37-26 halftime advantage.

• Pepe led the way in that win with 16 points, including 7-10 from the free throw line, while adding eight rebounds. Jones-Brown contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, and Akot added nine points and 11 boards to anchor the interior.

• Long Beach State won the rebounding battle 45-39 in the first meeting and shot nearly 39 percent from the field, while holding CSUN under 30 percent shooting overall. Defensive rebounding and paint protection were decisive in the one-possession finish.

• The contest featured four ties and was decided in the final seconds, reinforcing the importance of late-game execution, free throw shooting and defensive discipline heading into Saturday's rematch.

ABOUT THE BEACH
• In a Beach Reads feature from Long Beach State Athletics, JaQuoia Jones-Brown's authenticity and unfiltered approach are highlighted as central to her leadership and on-court impact this season, with her growth driven by self-confidence, a team-first mentality, and consistent production. Read more at www.longbeachstate.com.

• 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.

Kay Yow Servant Leader
Junior Kennan Ka was selected as a Kay Yow Servant Leader Award winner by the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, recognizing 64 women's basketball student-athletes nationwide who exemplify the values of leadership, selflessness and service.

The Kay Yow Servant Leader Award honors Coach Yow's legacy and the young people who carry the fight forward, inspiring others through their actions and leadership. It is presented annually to student-athletes who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to making a positive impact in their communities – people with a servant's spirit and a commitment to selfless leadership both on and off the court or athletic field. Award winners will receive a jersey patch to visibly recognize their accomplishments throughout the season.

The Kay Yow Servant Leader Award is very near and dear to my heart," said head coach Amy Wright. "Not only from losing so many friends, teammates, and colleagues to cancer, but also because all those women embodied exactly what it is to be associated with this award. Compassion, Selflessness & commitment are all characteristics that Kennan has displayed since I arrived at Long Beach State. She is a fierce competitor, which is exactly the primary quality it takes to be more and do more than just for yourself. Kennan exemplifies all these areas and more."

Ka is the second winner of the award from Long Beach State, as Lovely Sonnier was one of 14 recipients selected for recognition in the program's first year last year. She is joined by eight other recipients throughout the Big West.

Read more about Kennan's leadership journey and her path to being named Kay Yow Servant leader in a Beach Reads feature at www.longbeachstate.com.