LBSU Hangs on to Beat BYU 66-65

Published November 17, 2015

A 10:45 p.m. tip off didn't scare off Long Beach State's fans and didn't bother the Beach as Dan Monson's crew held off BYU 66-65 in a thriller Monday night, drifting into Tuesday as part of ESPN's Tip Off Marathon.

The offensive numbers weren't gaudy for the Beach, but they didn't have to be in a sparkling defensive effort on the night. BYU star Kyle Collinsworth picked up a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, but LBSU held Chase Fischer to two points on 1-of-7 shooting, and kept the high-scoring Cougars to 25 percent shooting from three and forced 24 BYU turnovers.

"When you play a team whose identity is their offense, you have to suck it up, and grind, and get them out of rhythm. That's going to get you out of rhythm, and make it an ugly game, and then you have to win an ugly game," said Dan Monson. "That's what we did, and it made it kind of pretty. I was really proud of our guys."

BYU (1-1) was the team that got off to a hot start taking a 10-2 lead over the first two minutes. An A.J. Spencer jumper ended a dry spell for Long Beach State (2-0), and a Nick Faust breakaway dunk ignited the crowd of 3,412 to kickstart a rally.

Long Beach State would go on to open a 24-12 lead on a 22-2 run, bookended by another emphatic Faust dunk with two 3-pointers from Noah Blackwell in the middle.

BYU cut the lead to six at the half, and the teams would continue to battle well into the second half, before the Cougars were able to tie the game for the second time at 59-59 on a basket from Collinsworth. Branford Jones had a huge answer for the Beach with a three-point play, and the 49ers would never trail again.

A 3-pointer by Travis Hammonds game the Beach a 65-61 lead with 3:17 to play, and while Long Beach State picked up just one more point on a Hammonds free throw, scrambling defense down the stretch and a big steal by Faust in the closing seconds allowed Long Beach State to take home the win.

The win over BYU was the first for the program since the 1982-83 season, snapping a four-game slide for the Beach against the Cougars.

All nine 49ers scored in the contest, led by Blackwell off the bench who had 11 points. Faust and Hammonds each scored 10 points, while Jones and Roschon Prince both finished with 9.

The Beach also honored those lost in the November ISIS attacks on Paris, including one of our own in student Nohemi Gonzalez. Lighting up the Walter Pyramid in the colors of the France, BYU and Long Beach State also joined in a moment of unity and remembrance for Gonzalez and the others who lost their lives.

Long Beach State will next hit the road for the first time, as the 49ers will participate in the Glidden Charleston Classic. The tournament opens on Thursday when the Beach faces Seton Hall at 4 p.m. on ESPNU. 

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The colors of the French flag were projected onto the side o

Article courtesy of Long Beach State Athletics. Photo by Joseph Philipson.