Long Beach State Beach (4-5) vs. USC Trojans (7-3)
The 2022-23 NCAA men’s basketball season goes on Wednesday, December 14, with the non-conference showdown between the Long Beach State Beach and USC Trojans at Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.
LBSU meets USC for the second straight season, and the Trojans search for their fourth consecutive victory over the Beach. USC opens as a firm 11-point home fave with a total of 143.5 points, so let’s take a closer look.
The Long Beach State Beach (4-5; 3-5 ATS) hit the road for the third straight game. In their previous two showings, the Beach have suffered an 88-78 defeat at Utah Valley and a 76-74 loss at Sacramento State. Last Saturday, Long Beach State nearly erased an 11-point deficit at The Nest in Sacramento, California, but ultimately failed to satisfy the odds as a 1.5-point road fave.
LBSU outrebounded Sacramento State 33-32, posting 11 offensive rebounds in the process, but the Hornets shot 50.0% from the field and 13-for-28 from beyond the arc. The Beach made 47.7% of their field goals (3-for-11 from deep) and posted a 9/10 assist-to-turnover ratio. Senior guard Joel Murray notched 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a couple of steals, while sophomore forward Lassi na Traore had 15 points, four boards, and three dishes.
Wild sequence to end it as the comeback comes up just short – Murray tied it in the closing seconds but Sacramento State had one final answer. Murray with 21 points led the way for Long Beach State. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/c11Wtdmahh
— LBSU Men's Basketball ?? (@LBSUMBB) December 11, 2022
Long Beach State is No. 169 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 154 in the KenPom rankings. The Beach score 101.4 points per 100 possessions (199th in the nation) on 46.3% shooting from the field (113th) and 29.5% from beyond the arc (327th). They make only 4.2 triples per game, enough for the third-fewest in the nation. LBSU allows 100.8 points per 100 possessions (138th) on 41.2% shooting from the field (105th) and 32.5% from downtown (169th).