Wednesday night in Idaho was a special one for Long Beach State men’s basketball coach Dan Monson.
The Idaho alum watched the Vandals honor father Don Monson, a former Vandals head coach, as part of the pregame festivities and then he watched his team open the season with a 95-89 overtime win.
LBSU (1-0) trailed by eight points with five minutes left in regulation when senior Jordan Roberts sparked a 9-0 run to take the lead. Idaho (0-1) fought back and forced overtime when the Beach defense shut them down to secure the win.
LBSU guard Joel Murray had an incredible debut performance with a game-high 28 points, and Aboubacar Traore scored 11 in his first game for the Beach. Roberts recorded his first double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Joe Hampton and Colin Slater also both finished with 16.
The Beach visits No. 2 UCLA on Monday. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks.
PREVIEW: Long Beach State Men’s Basketball Mentally Reset For Season
