Pair Of ESPN3 Games On Tap For Men's Hoops vs. Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State

February 6	7 pm PT	vs. Cal State Fullerton	Fox Sports 1350 AM	ESPN3	Listen Live	Live Stats	Call (951) 827-4653 For Tickets
February 8	7 pm PT	vs. Long Beach State	Fox Sports 1350 AM	ESPN3	Listen Live	Live Stats	Call (951) 827-4653 For Tickets
					Game Notes

Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team welcomes ESPN3 to the SRC Arena for two games this week as the Highlanders host Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, February 6 and Long Beach State on Saturday, February 8. Tip time for both games is 7 pm PT.

Trent Schlom (play-by-play), Richie Schueler (analyst) and Sanaz Tavassol (sideline) will bring the call to ESPN3 Thursday as the Highlanders take on the Titans for the second time this season. Cal State Fullerton built a 15-point lead in the first meeting between the clubs, before UC Riverside stormed back to within two with under a minute to go. However, the Titans escaped with a 78-73 victory (box score/recap).

The Highlanders enter the week with a 7-14 mark including 2-5 in conference. UC Riverside dropped a 93-89 overtime decision at Cal State Northridge last Thursday despite a career-high 27 points from freshman Sam Finley (box score/recap). Finley is now ranked seventh in the conference in scoring during Big West competition averaging 17.3 points per game. His 12.0 per game scoring average overall is second among freshman in the conference.

Cal State Fullerton is 7-13 on the season with a 2-4 record in Big West play, but they are just 1-4 since their win over the Highlanders. The Titans are averaging just 63.2 points per game in league play—the second lowest average in the conference. Their field goal percentage (40.1) and three-point field goal percentage (27.6) are both the lowest in the Big West, and they are allowing conference opponents to make 47.7 percent of their field goal attempts and 36.0 percent from long distance.

The Highlanders are 17-27 all-time against Cal State Fullerton with the Titans winning each of the last five meetings between the clubs (view all-time results).

On Saturday, Sam Farber (play-by-play), Joe Crispin (analyst) and Tavassol will call the game for ESPN3 as the Highlanders tangle with the 49ers for the first time this season. UC Riverside is also hosting a pregame tailgate party in Lot 19 on campus, and Howard Holt '82 is being honored at halftime as part of the Highlanders' Bring Back The Past series of events.

After surviving one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the nation (Arizona, two games vs. Kansas State, USC, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina State), the 49ers have found their footing in conference play going 5-2, including four straight wins. Last week, Long Beach State hung the first conference home loss of the season on Hawai'i before beating Cal State Fullerton at the Walter Pyramid.

Part of the 49ers success can be attributed to the play of UCLA transfer Tyler Lamb, who sat out the first month of the season due to NCAA transfer rules. He is averaging 15.5 points per game on the season. Mike Caffey's 17.4 points per game give the 49ers one of the most potent scoring duos in the Big West. Sitting just outside the double-digit scoring ranks are Dan Jennings, who averages 9.8 points per game, thanks in part to 58.6 percent shooting from the floor, and A.J. Spencer, who averages 9.0 points.

Long Beach State boasts the largest scoring margin in conference games among Big West teams at 7.6 points per game. The 49ers' offensive rebound percentage (.371) is the second best in the league, and they commit the second fewest turnovers per game in the conference (11.0).

The Highlanders are 10-30 all-time against Long Beach State (view all-time results). The 49ers have won the last eight meetings between the teams including a 91-82, overtime victory at the SRC arena a year ago (box score/recap).

Pair Of ESPN3 Games On Tap For Men's Hoops vs. Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State

Next Event

Footer