BAKERSFIELD — The Long Beach State basketball team couldn’t maintain a second-half lead, then lost to Cal State Bakersfield 82-76 in overtime, despite holding the Roadrunners without a field goal in the extra period.
AJ George scored a career-high 28 points to go with seven rebounds and led a scrappy effort for short-handed Long Beach (13-9 overall, 5-5 Big West Conference), which played without leading scorer Marcus Tsohonis due to illness. Jadon Jones added 13 points, while Lassina Traore had 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots for the visitors.
Kaleb Higgins had a career night to pace Bakersfield (9-12, 4-6). The senior guard finished with 34 points and eight assists, matching the Roadrunners’ Division I program single-game scoring record and going 3 for 7 from 3-point range on a night when Bakersfield shot 11 for 20 from behind the arc. Marvin McGhee III, who was 6 for 10 from deep, finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
The game was tight throughout, as neither team ever held a double-digit advantage. The first half was even closer – neither team led by more than four while Higgins and George put on a show, each scoring 22 points before the intermission.
Down by five after the opening basket of the second half, LBSU battled back to tie the score at 47-all and opened a seven-point cushion at 56-49 following a 3-pointer from Isa Silva with 10:14 left. Two straight 3-pointers, one each from McGhee and Higgins tied the score again at 59-all.
Long Beach’s Jones was fouled in the closing seconds with his team down by one, but only made the second free throw. Tied at 70-all, Long Beach forced Higgins into a turnover that extended the game.
Bakersfield was a perfect 12 for 12 from the free-throw line in overtime, pulling away to seal the win.
UP NEXT
Long Beach State hosts UC San Diego (15-7, 9-1), which is tied for first place, on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.
