Long Beach State men’s basketball opened the 2026-27 season with a narrow 66-63 loss at Utah on November 2 in Salt Lake City. The Beach built a strong first half and took a 17-point lead in the second half before Utah rallied with a 16-3 run to take the lead late.
Utah native McCaden Adams led Long Beach State with 21 points, including a final 3-point attempt that fell short in the closing seconds. Guards Yohann Sissoko and JJ Gray added 15 and 10 points, respectively, while Jaden Tengan contributed 7 points and helped the Beach lead 40-28 at halftime.
Long Beach State’s defense forced 10 turnovers in the first half, converting those into 18 points while shooting an efficient 6-for-13 from three-point range. Utah’s Trey Campbell led all scorers with 20 points, and Malek Gooma grabbed 11 rebounds as Utah controlled the boards 40-27.
The Beach will continue the road trip when they face Montana State on November 7, tipoff scheduled for noon Pacific Time with coverage on ESPN+.
CSB Take
The Long Beach State men’s basketball team demonstrated promising offensive and defensive efforts in their competitive season opener against a strong Utah squad. Holding a substantial second-half lead showed their potential, yet the late-game defensive lapses indicate areas for improvement. The upcoming game against Montana State will be critical to building confidence and establishing early-season momentum.
Source: Original report
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