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Attention to little details helped Long Beach State men’s basketball win five consecutive games in December, and that’s what was missing in the 78-60 Big West Conference loss to visiting UC Riverside on Thursday night at Walter Pyramid.
“I was really disappointed in our physicality and effort tonight,” LBSU coach Chris Acker said. “We got exposed. They were the more experienced and better team tonight. Emotionally it feels like we took some steps backwards in terms of our togetherness and being on the same page.”
UC Riverside (10-5, 3-0) used a 14-0 run in the first half to build a lead it would hold for almost 30 minutes of the game. Isaiah Moses came off the bench and scored a game-high 22 points for the Highlanders. They outrebounded the Beach 38-30 and only turned the ball over seven times.
“I feel like from the start of the game we didn’t come out and play with the same energy and passion and energy that we’ve been playing with during our winning streak,” LBSU forward Cm Denson said. “We didn’t do what we were prepared to do. We were prepared to guard them; we just didn’t put it on the floor.”
LBSU (6-9, 2-1) got another efficient game from point guard Devin Askew as he filled the stat box with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists while making seven of his 10 field goal attempts. Denson chipped in 11 points and Derrick Michael Xzavierro came off the bench to contribute eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
The Beach regressed to a below average shooting night and only made three of their 11 attempts from 3-point range. However, Acker was quick to that he isn’t concerned with those statistics. This is the sixth time this season that LBSU only made five or fewer shots from behind the arc.
“the only thing that concerns me is physicality and toughness,” Acker said. “That’s how you win college basketball games. I’ve been a part of a lot of really good teams and this is a good group of guys. They want to do it. You are not going to win against the upper echelon (in the Big West) if we don’t do those things. In the beginning of our season we went through learning, we are learning now that if we want to beat good teams in (the Big West) we have to do all of the hard things consistently. It will have nothing to do with missing or making shots.”
LBSU started well and took a 12-6 lead into the first media timeout after Denson capped a fast break with a layup and Austin Jackson’s hook shot. The Beach had assists on seven of their first nine made baskets.
Riverside sagged its defense to adjust, which clogged the lane to slow down Askew and the other LBSU guards. At the other end, the Highlanders were able to spread the Beach defense out and attack with pull up jump shots as they scored 14 consecutive points.
Moses and last year’s Big West Freshman of the Year Barrington Hargress scored 17 points with four rebounds and four assists for the Highlanders. Riverside got a key 19 point and 10 rebound double-double from forward Nate Pickens. Kaleb Smith chipped in 11 points.
LBSU got a boost in the paint from Xzavierro to stem the tide and UC Riverside led 38-32 at halftime.
The Highlander’s lead hung around 7-10 points for most of the second half and was never in danger while the Beach continued to struggle. UC Riverside finished on the front foot while out rebounding LBSU 12-5 on the offensive glass.
“The game didn’t come down to their execution on offense,” Acker said. “It came down to giving up offensive rebounds that led to threes, or (not taking) opportunities to dive on loose balls.”
LBSU visits Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff.
