UC Riverside Men's Basketball Hosts Long Beach State Saturday On ESPN3

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 the second straight game as the Highlanders host Long Beach State on Saturday, February 8 beginning at 7 pm PT.

Sam Farber (play-by-play), Joe Crispin (analyst) and Sanaz 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.

UC Riverside improved to 3-5 in the Big West Thursday with a 72-69 victory over visiting Cal State Fullerton (box score/recap). That win moved them into sixth place in conference, a game behind Hawai'i and Cal Poly at 4-4. Chris Patton's 12-point, 12-rebound double-double led the Highlanders as they withstood a late Titans charge to hold on to the win.

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 found their footing in conference play going 5-2 to start Big West competition, including four straight wins heading into this week. On Thursday, however, Long Beach dropped its second close decision of the year to UC Irvine, as tne Anteaters topped the 49ers, 61-58, dropping them into third place.

Part of Long Beach State's 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 14.9 points per game on the year. Mike Caffey's 17.0 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 9.95 points per game, thanks in part to 59.0 percent shooting from the floor, and A.J. Spencer, who averages 9.0 points.

Long Beach State boasts the second largest scoring margin in conference games among Big West teams at 6.2 points per game. The 49ers' offensive rebound percentage (.378) is the second best in the league, and they commit the third fewest turnovers per game in the conference (11.1).

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).

UC Riverside Men's Basketball Hosts Long Beach State Saturday On ESPN3

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