The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2024-25 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach State Basketball is sponsored by CSULB Distinguished Alumnus Nelson Farris.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach State men’s basketball for the 2024-25 season is sponsored by Arline & Mike Walter.
On Saturday afternoon at Walter Pyramid against visiting Fresno State, Long Beach State made pretty much every error you can’t make down the stretch while protecting a lead. The Beach led by 10 with about five minutes to play when the Bulldogs used their pressure defense to mount a comeback and win 72-69.
Fresno State (3-2) went on a 14-0 run to end the game and only led for 42 seconds. The Bulldogs key to victory came at the free throw line where they made 30 of 44 attempts. LBSU was 3/4 from the charity stripe.
“We couldn’t handle the press, and ultimately that’s why we ended up losing the game,” LBSU coach Chris Acker said. “Obviously that is a very difficult loss to accept in a game that we feel like and know we should have won. We have to figure out how to win close games.”
LBSU (1-5) has lost three games this year in the final minutes. As for the free throw discrepancy, Acker said, “I’m never going to complain about officiating. They did a good job driving the basketball.”
Guard Devin Askew scored a team-high 19 points, but he also committed four turnovers.
“We need to keep learning,” Askew said. “It’s a new group of players and coaches so we’re all just building off of each other every single day and that’s what we’ll continue to do. We’re not going to put our heads down or anything. We have to keep moving forward.”
TJ Wainwright chipped in 13 points for the Beach while Austin Johnson grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
Fresno State guard Amar Augillard scored a game-high 25 points, and St. Anthony alum Elijah Price was a major contributor with six points, nine rebounds and two steals.
LBSU led by as many as 17 points in the middle of the first half, but Fresno State chipped away at the free throw line. The Bulldogs kept it close until their 20 points off 19 forced turnovers changed the last few minutes.
The Beach had multiple layups bounce out down the stretch and they only shot 4/12 from 3-point range in the second half.
LBSU looked capable on defense while limiting Fresno State to 30 percent shooting from the field.
“I feel like when I watch my team play there’s moments when we’re playing really good defense, and there’s moments when the other team is playing really bad offense,” Acker said. “I can tell when we’re gritty and we’re grinding. But tonight the fouls are the way they are because we’re not really in a stance like we need to be in order for us to be the type of defensive team we have to be to win basketball games. That is a game we should have dominated defensively. We still don’t understand the intensity we have to play with.”
Next up for LBSU is a trip to Henderson, Nevada this weekend for three games in three days as part of the Ball Dawgs Classic. The Beach will face UNC Greensboro, UTEP and San Jose State.
