Long Beach State saw a strong start in their season opener on November 1, but ultimately fell 66-63 to Utah in Salt Lake City. The Beach held a 17-point advantage in the second half before the Utes mounted a comeback to secure the win.
The Beach demonstrated high-level shooting and defense during the first half, entering the break with a 40-28 lead. Long Beach State forced Utah into 10 turnovers, converting those into 18 points while shooting 6-for-13 from three-point range. Early momentum was driven by JJ Gray, who hit his first two shots to provide an initial 5-0 lead.
Long Beach State maintained control into the second half, leading 47-30 with just over 18 minutes remaining following two three-pointers from McCaden Adams. The lead reached 56-48 with approximately 12 minutes left, but the Beach later went nearly 10 minutes without a field goal. This coincided with a 16-3 run by Utah that put the Utes ahead 64-59. While Adams hit a designed three-pointer to narrow the deficit to 66-63, a final shot attempt by Adams fell short on the game's last possession.
Individual performances for the Beach included 21 points from McCaden Adams, 15 points and five rebounds from Yohann Sissoko, and 10 points from JJ Gray. Jaden Tengan contributed 7 points. For Utah, Trey Campbell led the scoring with 20 points, while Malek Gooma recorded 11 rebounds, contributing to a 40-27 advantage for the Utes on the glass.
Long Beach State will continue its season opening road trip on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the team is scheduled to face Montana State in Bozeman. The game is scheduled for a Noon PT tip with live coverage on ESPN+.
