Big West Round-Up
December 13, 2021
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12th
#16 USC (10-0) 73 Long Beach State (3-7) 62
The Beach dropped their third straight, against D-1 opposition, to the ranked Trojans. Long Beach State had the lead, 38-35, on Drew Cobb's trey, with twenty-seven seconds left in the first stanza. Drew Peterson then knotted it with a three in response, at the 1st Half Buzzer.
USC started the second half on a 14-0 run, and never really looked back after that. The Trojans held The Beach scoreless for nearly seven minutes to start the second half. Colin Slater had the first points at 13:05 of the second half. Long Beach State pulled to within eight points at 7:31, but USC went back up by double-digits for good, about four minutes later.
USC locked down in the second half limiting The Beach to 26% shooting (8-31) after they shot over 50% (15-29) during first twenty. The Beach did out-rebound USC by one on the night, just the third time on the season the Trojans silver-medaled in that category, the others being against Temple (11/13) and Washington State (12/04). USC shot 10-24 (42%) from bonus distance, and were led by the duo of Isaiah Mobley (21pts 12reb) and Drew Peterson (15pts 3 for 3 from 3FG), while Joel Murray (14), Colin Slater (12) and Romelle Mansel (10pts 7reb 5-6 FG) all reached double-figures for The Beach.
Next up for The Beach, Non D-1 La Sierra on December 18th, before they wrap-up non-league play at USD on December 20th. Long Beach State's last win over a D-1 opponent came on November 24th, against Wright State, at the Naples (FL) Invitational.
CBU (8-2) 54 UC Riverside (6-4) 70
The Highlanders clinched their first win in the #CrosstownShowdown since CBU ascended to the D-1 ranks. Riverside's Bard of Sports, Jim Alexander, summed it up nicely in his recent column. JP Moorman had nineteen points, ten rebounds, and four assists, while Zyon Pullim chipped in with eighteen points and twelve rebounds, to go with five assists. Flynn Cameron had eighteen, while shooting five of nine from beyond the arc. Pullim’s performance was good enough to help him secure Big West Player of the Week Honors.
The Highlanders snapped a two-game losing streak, with the win, and ran their record at the SRC Arena to 5-0 on the season. The Lancers' only previous loss had been to Texas, and UCR really put the clamps on Taran Armstrong, who'd come into the game averaging nearly a triple-double of 12.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.8 assists. He was held to 4-12 shooting and nine points. UCR led by ten at the half, and by as many as eighteen on the game. The Highlanders (131) were the Lancers' highest ranking NET opponent, aside from the Longhorns (23) on the season.
AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS (Geoff Gorham via Learfield/UCR Athletics):
1st Half: Flynn Cameron Three, with forty-three seconds left
2nd Half: Zyon Pullin, And One, at 14:12, giving UCR a fifteen-point lead.
Up next for UC Riverside, a couple of teams out of the Big Sky. They'll host Sacramento State on December 19th, and wrap up conference play against Idaho at home, on Wednesday, the 22nd. The open Big West play at UC Davis on December 28th, before heading to Oahu, to take on The Bows, on New Year's Day.
UC San Diego (5-3) 51 Seattle (8-3) 73
The Tritons dropped their third over their last four, on the road, in the Pacific Northwest. The Redhawks held UCSD to 39% shooting on the game, while shooting 54% themselves. They started the game on a 17-2 run, and did not look back.
Seattle led by fourteen at the half, pushed it twenty-two in the first four minutes of the second session, and never trailed by less than thirteen after that. A couple of Bay Area products did in the Tritons, as Sophomore Guard Darrion Trammell netted a career-high 29 for Seattle, to go with five rebounds and six steals, while Junior Forward Riley Grigsby added 17, on 8 for 12 shooting from the floor. Perhaps some payback for UCSD upending Cal in the season opener, back on November 9th.
The Redhawks converted nineteen Tritons turnovers into twenty-four points, and outscored UCSD by eighteen (42-24) in the paint. No UCSD player reached double figures, as Sophomores Bryce Pope and Vik Vulikic led the Tritons with eight points each. UCSD heads to Denver Wednesday (12/15), and hosts Non-D1 Cal Tech at home on Saturday (12/18), before wrapping up non-league play against crosstown rival San Diego State on Wednesday, December 22nd. They open Big West play, by hosting UC Santa Barbara and CSUN on New Year's Weekend, at RIMAC Arena.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13th
Heartbreaker for Cal Poly (3-7), as the Pilots thwarted their hopes of winning two in a row in the Rose City, 78-77. Of the Mustangs' seven losses, five have been by three points or less. The game came down to the final seconds, and a late foul. We'll let you make the call. Cal Poly knocked off Portland State, on Saturday, 61-58.
Cal Poly vs. Portland Video Highlights (Courtesy WCC Network)
Trevon Taylor had 27 points and 8 rebounds for the Mustangs, while Jacob Davison chipped in with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. The Mustangs shot 52% for the game, Portland shot 45%, and went 11 for 25 (.440) from long distance. Both teams shot well from the free throw line as well, with Portland making 17 of 19, and the Mustangs making 15 of 19.
Cal Poly wraps up their non-league slate, with games at Fresno State (12/17) and #4 UCLA (12/24), before opening Big West play at Home, against Long Beach State, December 30th.