The Long Beach State men’s basketball team is seeking redemption.
After an early exit in the Big West Conference tournament, LBSU’s hopes of a repeat trip to the NCAA tournament ended. However, that doesn’t mean its season is over.
The seventh-seeded ‘Niners (19-13) will head to Waco, Texas to take on No. 2 Baylor (18-14) tonight in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
Big West Player of the Year and NBA prospect James Ennis will lead The Beach as his collegiate career draws to a close. He said the NIT, while not the big dance, provides his team the opportunity to keep playing and continue showcasing its skills.
“It’s disappointing, but it’s life, and we’ve got to move on, show character and come out and show everyone that we’re a good team and play together,” he said.
The senior guard has scored in double figures 37 games in a row and averages 16.7 points and 6.9 rebounds a night.
“It’s a good experience for us and good exposure for me, and we’ve just got to come out and take it like it’s our last game and move forward,” Ennis said. “I know my guys are excited to play. It’s a big atmosphere, something new, so it’s exciting.”
LBSU head coach Dan Monson said despite losing in the conference tournament, the NIT will provide the ‘Niners a chance to continue competing against solid programs.
“All 32 teams had expectations two weeks ago to go to the NCAAs,” he said. “There’s very little margin for error, and all these teams fell short but not by much. There are nine other teams that lost their conference championship but won their league. Everybody’s in the same boat, and everybody has that same fuel.”
LBSU’s last trip to the NIT was in 2011, when it lost 85-74 to Washington State in the first round.
The Beach is making its seventh all-time appearance in the NIT, with its last win coming in 1990 against Arizona State. The team has never advanced past the second round.
Baylor is paced by senior guard Pierre Jackson and freshman center Isaiah Austin.
Jackson leads the team in scoring and assists, averaging 19.8 points and 6.5 dimes a night.
Austin is second in scoring, averaging 13.2 points while leading the Bears on the glass with 8.6 rebounds per game.
The Bears lost 74-72 against No. 14 Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.
Monson said Baylor would be one of his team’s toughest opponents this season.
“I think Baylor’s the most talented team we’ve played all year, and I’m talking physically talented more than Syracuse, Ohio State, UCLA, USC, North Carolina,” he said. “They have six or seven really good basketball players, but similar to us, their consistency and putting it all together has been an issue for them, so it’s going to be which team can motor through that.”
The 49ers are 2-2 all-time against Baylor, but they have not faced the Bears since 1979.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. tonight, and the contest will be televised on ESPN2.