Traore and Long Beach State host CSU Northridge

Published Dec. 30, 2023 3:43 a.m. ET

Associated Press

CSU Northridge Matadors (10-3, 1-0 Big West) at Long Beach State Beach (9-4, 1-0 Big West)

Long Beach, California; Saturday, 4 p.m. EST

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Beach -8; over/under is 161.5

BOTTOM LINE: Long Beach State plays the CSU Northridge Matadors after Aboubacar Traore scored 23 points in Long Beach State's 81-71 win over the CSU Fullerton Titans.

The Beach are 3-0 in home games. Long Beach State ranks fourth in the Big West with 38.5 points per game in the paint led by Traore averaging 8.3.

The Matadors have gone 1-0 against Big West opponents. CSU Northridge scores 80.4 points while outscoring opponents by 10.6 points per game.

Long Beach State makes 46.4% of its shots from the field this season, which is 7.6 percentage points higher than CSU Northridge has allowed to its opponents (38.8%). CSU Northridge has shot at a 47.8% rate from the field this season, 4.7 percentage points above the 43.1% shooting opponents of Long Beach State have averaged.

The Beach and Matadors square off Saturday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jadon Jones averages 2.2 made 3-pointers per game for the Beach, scoring 12.6 points while shooting 33.7% from beyond the arc. Marcus Tsohonis is averaging 17.7 points over the past 10 games for Long Beach State.

De'Sean Allen-Eikens is scoring 19.8 points per game with 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the Matadors. Dionte Bostick is averaging 17.1 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 43.2% over the past 10 games for CSU Northridge.

LAST 10 GAMES: Beach: 8-2, averaging 82.6 points, 40.4 rebounds, 15.7 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.1 points per game.

Matadors: 8-2, averaging 81.6 points, 44.5 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 9.2 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.3 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.