Beach Breaks Through In Overtime Thriller

Saturday, February 28

Long Beach, Calif.

2 p.m.

Long Beach State University

5-23,4-14Big West

Cal State Bakersfield

7-21,2-16Big West

OT 1

CSU Bakersfield

Long Beach St.

2/28/2026 5:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Long Beach State earns its first OT win of the season and secures its first two-game win streak with a 72-62 victory at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State women's basketball earned their first overtime game and first overtime win of the season Saturday afternoon, grinding out a 72-62 victory over CSU Bakersfield at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. The win, combined with Thursday's 67-57 decision over Cal Poly, gives the Beach their first winning streak of the year.

Long Beach State moved to 5-23 overall and 4-14 in Big West play, while CSU Bakersfield fell to 7-21 and 2-16.

The Beach led 13-11 after the first quarter and carried a 25-23 advantage into halftime in what was a tightly contested first half that went back and forth with seven lead changes and six ties. Neither team shot particularly well early, but Long Beach State's work inside kept it in front. The Beach scored 14 paint points in the first half and held Bakersfield to 23 total points on 9-34 shooting through two quarters.

Coming out of the break, Long Beach State put together its best stretch of regulation. The Beach outscored the Roadrunners 19-17 in the third quarter and built a seven-point lead, 40-33, midway through the period after a Brynna Pukis three-pointer and consistent interior scoring from Khylee Pepe and JaQuoia Jones-Brown. LBSU carried a 44-40 edge into the fourth.

The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle. Bakersfield shot 8-22 in the period and knocked down four three-pointers, including a go-ahead triple from Morgan Hawkins with 2:29 remaining that gave CSUB a 56-54 lead. Long Beach State responded each time. Rosie Akot tied the game at 56-56 with 2:03 left, and Pepe delivered in the closing seconds, scoring on a second-chance tip-in with 18 seconds remaining to knot the game at 60-60. On the final possession of regulation, Pepe came up with a block at the buzzer to force overtime.

Long Beach State opened the extra period with an 8-0 run in the first 4:21. Pepe scored on a layup to make it 62-60, Jones-Brown added two more baskets, and the Beach capitalized on turnovers to push the lead to 66-60. Bakersfield managed just one field goal in overtime and finished the extra session 1-5 from the floor.

Clinging to a six-point lead inside the final minute, Long Beach State sealed it at the free throw line. Jones-Brown and Pukis combined to go 6-6 from the stripe in the final 39 seconds, stretching the margin to as many as 10 points before the final horn sounded at 72-62.

Jones-Brown led the Beach with 25 points on 9-19 shooting and went 7-9 at the free throw line, including 2-2 in overtime. She also added five rebounds and was instrumental in attacking the paint late.

Pepe posted a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds, scoring clutch baskets in both regulation and overtime. Her tip-in to tie the game late in the fourth and her defensive stop at the end of regulation were pivotal.

Kennan Ka added 10 points, while Pukis contributed seven points, five assists and four rebounds, including four clutch free throws in overtime.

As a team, Long Beach State shot 25-61 from the field and 19-25 at the free throw line. The Beach outscored Bakersfield 38-30 in the paint, 15-12 on second-chance opportunities and 8-2 in fast break points. LBSU also forced 13 turnovers and converted those into 21 points.