{"id":76166,"date":"2025-12-01T01:49:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T01:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/76166\/"},"modified":"2025-12-01T01:49:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T01:49:11","slug":"mens-basketball-locks-down-76-72-win-over-san-diego-behind-30-from-sykes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/76166\/","title":{"rendered":"Men\u2019s Basketball Locks Down 76-72 Win Over San Diego Behind 30 From Sykes"},"content":{"rendered":"

LONG BEACH, Calif. \u2013 Long Beach State matched a season-high with 12 steals, including a critical one in the final minute from Isaiah Lewis<\/a> to complement a huge offensive night from true freshman Gavin Sykes<\/a> as the Beach rallied to defeat San Diego 76-72 in the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid on Sunday.
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\nTrue freshman Gavin Sykes<\/a> had a huge night, finishing with 30 points to become the first LBSU player since program legend Lucious Harris in 1990 to score 30 as a freshman. Long Beach State (2-6) also had a season-high 20 assists on 31 made baskets, showcasing great ball movement, which facilitated a second-half comeback against San Diego (3-4).
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\nThe Beach opened up an early lead in the first half, as Rob Diaz III<\/a> hit a three to give the Beach the lead, followed by back-to-back hits from distance from Sykes to put the Beach up 14-7. A Diaz III layup gave Long Beach State their largest lead of the game at 16-8. Up 25-19 after a Leopold Levillain<\/a> paint touch, San Diego responded with a huge 13-2 run, flipping the contest and taking a seven-point lead at 34-27. A Sykes floater cut the lead back to two just before the end of the half, and the Toreros led 38-34 at the break.
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\nThe margin stayed around there through the first ten minutes of the second half, as the Toreros built their lead to eight at the most and led 68-62 with just over nine minutes remaining.
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\nThat was when the lockdown on defense started for the Beach, allowing just four points the rest of the way, though Long Beach State had to do their own work on the offensive end. Down 72-69 with just over a minute remaining, the Beach found Sykes for another big basket to cut the lead to one.
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\nFollowing another defensive stop, the Toreros were able to tip away a lob attempt to Shay Johnson Jr.<\/a>, but Sykes was on the spot once again, scooping up the rebound and finishing a three-point play after sinking the extra free throw following a USD foul.
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\nNeeding one last stop, the Beach got it as Isaiah Lewis<\/a> knocked the ball loose for his fourth steal of the game and sank two free throws to seal the win for the Beach.
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\nLewis had seven assists with just one turnover, and Petar Majstorovic<\/a> added 14 points with six assists and four steals in support of Sykes, who has three games of 20 or more points through eight games of his collegiate career.
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\nLong Beach State will get a brief taste of Big West play with Week 0 next week, traveling to UC Santa Barbara on Thursday before hosting UC San Diego on Saturday.
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