GAME NOTES: The Long Beach State 49ers will attempt to pull off another upset as they square off with the Kansas State Wildcats in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
This game marks the sixth all-time meeting between LBSU and KSU on the hardwood, and the Wildcats hold a 3-2 advantage.
Kansas State enters this game on a four-game win streak, and a 9-1 overall record. Frank Martin's team defeated Texas-El Paso, 78-70, in the semifinal round of this tournament on Friday to advance. The Wildcats have a very big and athletic roster. They used their size and physical ability to take down UTEP as they won the rebounding battle, 39-21, and outscored the Miners in the paint, 34-24, en route to the victory. K-State will be a tough test for the 49ers as it is outscoring its opponents by an average of 13.3 ppg this year.
Four Wildcats have scoring averages in double figures, as Jamar Samuels leads the team with 12.1 ppg and 7.0 rpg. Despite going 1-of-10 from the field against UTEP, Samuels still managed to record a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards. Will Spradling is tied for second on the team with 11.2 ppg, and he is the team's top three-point shooter as he has connected on 17-of-40 attempts from beyond the arc this year. Thomas Gipson and Rodney McGruder are both consistent scorers for KSU as well. Angel Rodriguez is a player to watch in this one, as the freshman guard has scored in double figures in three straight games and led the team with 16 points and four assists against the Miners.
Long Beach State is one of the most dangerous mid-majors in the nation this year. The 49ers put themselves on everybody's radar early in the year when they upset Pittsburgh in the Steel City. After a 3-1 start, LBSU lost four-of- five, but faced three top-15 teams during that span. The 49ers are now on a three-game win streak after defeating the shorthanded Xavier Musketeers and Auburn in the first two rounds of this event. Long Beach State is averaging 73.5 ppg while holding opponents to 66.5 ppg this year.
The 49ers are led by the trio of Casper Ware, Larry Anderson and T.J. Robinson. Ware paces the club with 16.7 ppg and he will be looking to bounce back from a dismal 2-of-10 shooting performance against Auburn. Anderson is a solid scorer with an average of 14.9 ppg. The senior guard was the key to the win over Auburn as he tallied 16 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting from the floor, which included a 2-of-2 showing from three-point range. Robinson is the team's top frontcourt player with averages of 12.3 points and 10.0 caroms per contest.
Although Long Beach State has upset a couple of ranked teams this season, the Wildcats are a resilient squad that can absorb opponents' big runs and retaliate with their own. K-State should be able to move the ball to find the open shot and dominate the rebounding battle to take a victory and the Diamond Classic crown in the process.
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